Attracting Birds to your Garden

Some of my best birding moments occur in our own garden. An added bonus is that many of my bird photos have also been taken in our garden. Many people ask me how to attract birds to their gardens so they too can enjoy the bird life that is found in their area.

Here are some very effective ways of bringing birds into your garden:

1. Water: Provide a constant source of water, such as a pond, bird bath or dripping tap into a bowl. This is the one most reliable way of attracting birds to your garden.
2. Food: Provide a variety of native trees and bushes that become a suitable food source. (In Australia – never put out food like parrot seed for them). Native trees and bushes are not only attractive to birds of course; many other species will love your garden too, from insects through to lizards and butterflies. The extra vegetation will provide nesting and roosting spots for the birds. They will make your garden their home too.
3. Protection: Never let your cat roam the garden – and actively discourage neighbour’s cats from entering your garden. In fact – don’t even have a cat; they are a bird’s worst enemy and can also kill many other creatures, like lizards and possums.
4. Safety: Provide a safe environment for the birds by not using any poisons like snail bait in your garden.

These are simple and effective methods of ensuring a safe and happy habitat for the birds in your garden.

For extra reading, click on these links:

Links:

• How to attract birds to your garden – an earlier version of this article. It has links to other useful sites and articles.
• Food and Water – a very detailed article about attracting birds to your garden on the Canberra Ornithologists Group web site. Plenty of useful information.

Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater

The Spiny Cheeked Honeyeater (shown above) is a resident breeding species in our garden and a frequent visitor to our bird baths.

Click the photo to enlarge the image.