Birdwatching in Sydney
with the Cumberland Bird Observers' Club

Many of us go out into the bush to spend time with nature and usually return home with fond memories. As you look around your garden you may wonder what it would have been like before the bush was cleared and houses built. Many people are looking for ways to create natural gardens so that they can experience the joy of having wildlife at home and know that they have put back some of that which has been taken away.

Laughing Kookaburra

Birdscaping is the designing of a garden to attract the variety of birds that would have occurred originally in the area. Birds need many types of foods including insects, reptiles, seeds, nectar, and fruit. Plants should be selected to provide as wide a variety of each of these as possible and over as many seasons as possible. They also need nesting material and shelter from the weather and predators. Plants that provide nesting material include grasses and stringy barks. Dense foliage plants or those with spiny foliage provide good shelter. Birds also have very different foraging and nesting requirements and the garden needs to be planned so that there is a diversity of shrub and tree heights, as well as leaf litter/mulched areas and areas of mature grasses. To achieve this you need to be conscious of their needs and then set out to provide them. A balanced garden will attract a wide range of other wildlife such as insects, spiders, reptiles, frogs and possibly even mammals. Your garden will then resemble the bush.

The best way to provide for the local wildlife is to plant local native plants. Not only are these best suited to the conditions where you live but the wildlife is best adapted to them. Choose from a list of natives that give you the greatest diversity of food types and heights. If you need to remove existing exotic plants or plants that have the potential to become weeds then these should be removed gradually so that the birdlife does not loose shelter before those you have planted can take over the job. Keep in mind that many native plants can become invasive weeds when planted outside of their normal range and some are threatening endangered local native plants either because they colonise more readily or because they hybridise with local species.

Hybrid native plants are often chosen because they appear more spectacular having larger flowers and longer flowering periods; but they can present problems. Birds visiting these hybrids will spend less time pollinating local native plant species and the reduction in seed set could lead to their extinction. In addition, these hybrids are often more attractive to large aggressive honeyeaters and lorikeets which defend the flowers and prevent other smaller birds from entering the garden, even those that don't take nectar. In particular the Noisy Miner can be a serious pest. Our habit of clearing bush for housing development, leaving a few trees and then planting hybrid grevilleas creates ideal habitat for the Noisy Miner. Use of shrubs with smaller flowers that provide less nectar and more dense cover make it less worthwhile for the Miners and also more difficult for them to defend territories. If you live within a Noisy Miner colony you need to take this into consideration. It is suggested that you avoid selecting plants attractive to them for at least three years while the rest of the garden becomes established and other birds take up residence.

Plants that provide fruit and seeds need to be selected carefully as birds will carry seeds back into the bush where they may germinate and compete with the local native plants. This can be as much of a problem with non-local native plants as with introduced species.

Artificial food supplements should be avoided as these can cause nutritional imbalances, aid the spread of disease and are more likely to attract introduced rather than native birds. Water can be provided by means of a bird bath placed a safe distance from dense shrub cover and with a high nearby vantage point so that birds can check for predators. Water needs to be replaced regularly and the bath needs to be kept clean to minimise disease transmission between birds. The presence of water in the garden will increase the diversity of birdlife that visits your garden.

Protecting wildlife from domestic pets is always difficult. Cat bells do not work. When a cat is in "stealth-mode" the bell is silent and when the cat is attacking it is too late. Cats should be kept enclosed 24 hours a day and should be provided with a cat run. Nightly curfews and inertia bells (a new type of bell designed to make noise when a cat is striking) do not protect insects and reptiles from cats. Dogs can be trained to leave birds alone.

There are many reference books available for birdscaping gardens. They provide lists of plants, their requirements and the types of foods that they supply for birds. Take care however when consulting them as many suggest food supplements and do not specify which plants are local to your area. You will perhaps need to consult a local native plant guide, your local native nursery or local council.

*About the author
Dr Tony Saunders has been birdscaping gardens for 25 years and teaching birdscaping to community education groups for 20 years. He has been a regular presenter at bird clubs, plant groups, conservation societies, wildlife care groups, variety and social clubs as well as ABC radio. He has also lectured for the University of the Third Age and Community Education, University of Western Sydney on the subject of attracting wildlife, particularly birds, to gardens.

Tony works as a consultant to Greening Australia, Landcare, Local Councils and Bushcare groups on bird survey techniques and managing habitat for birds. He has been a consultant to the Sydney Olympic Park Authority on management of waterbird and bushbird habitat. He has taught part time at the University of Western Sydney in the areas of environmental sciences and ecology.

Tony was the manager for the club's Bird Database for fifteen years, as well as being a regional organiser for Sydney and the Blue Mountains for the National Bird Atlas for Birds Australia. He was NSW Facilitator and represented NSW/ACT on the Steering Committee for the National Atlas, and was a consultant to the Birds In Back Yards Project for Birds Australia. He has also represented Birds Australia on the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service's Wildlife Issues Advisory Panel. He has completed a PhD in honeyeater ecology, spent the last 20 years studying the relationship between birds and their foods, particularly plants and has published several papers and articles on various aspects of bird ecology.

His prime interest is creation and rehabilitation of bird habitat.

References and further reading:
Adams, G.M. 1995 (2nd. ed.) Birdscaping Your Garden. Rigby, Sydney.
Australian Plant Study Group 1980 Grow What Where. Nelson, Melbourne.
Dengate, J. 1997 Attracting Birds to Your Garden in Australia. New Holland, Sydney.
Elliot, R. 1994 Attracting Wildlife to Your Garden. Lothian, Melbourne.
Hutchinson, F. 1993 Creating A Native Garden For Birds. Simon & Schuster, Roseville.
McCulloch, E. 2000 Birds in Your Garden. Hyland House, Flemington, Victoria.
Pizzey, G. 1988 A Garden of Birds Angus & Robertson, North Ryde.
Wilson, Z. 1994 BOCA-Birds and Gardens Survey 1991 BOCA Report No. 3
Wrigley, J. W. & Fagg, M. 1990 Bird Attracting Plants. Angus & Robertson, North Ryde.

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101 Bird-attracting Native Plants for Sydney
Only local native species that are generally available in cultivation and not hybrids have been included here.
Common name	Scientific name	Size	Soils	Provisions
White Sallow Wattle	Acacia floribunda	3m x3m	sd,cl	sh,s,i
Sydney Golden Wattle	Acacia longifolia	3m x 3m	sd,cl	sh,s,i
Myrtle Wattle	Acacia myrtifolia	1m x1m	sd,cl	sh,s,i
Parramatta Green Wattle	Acacia parramattensis	3m x 6m	cl	sh,s,i
Sweet-scented Wattle	Acacia suaveolens	0.5m x1m	sd	s
Lillypilly	Acmena smithii	20m	cl	sh,f
Black She-Oak	Allocasuarina littoralis	6m	cl	nm,s
Dwarf She-Oak	Allocasuarina nana	2m	sd,cl	nm,s
Forest Oak	Allocasuarina torulosa	8m	sd,cl	nm,s
Sydney Red Gum	Angophora costata	25m	sd,cl	n,i
Dwarf Apple	Angophora hispida	4m x 4m	sd	n,i
Twiggy Heath-myrtle	Baeckea virgata	2m x 4m	sd,cl	sh,n,i
Wallum Banksia	Banksia aemula	2m x 2m	sd	s,n,i
Heath Banksia	Banksia ericifolia	2m x 3m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
Coast Banksia	Banksia integrifolia	3m x 5m	sd,cl	s,n,i
Silver Banksia	Banksia marginata	3m x 3m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
Fern-leaved Banksia	Banksia oblongifolia	2m x 2m	sd	s,n,i
Swamp Banksia	Banksia robur	2m x 1m	cl	s,n,i
Old Man Banksia	Banksia serrata	3m x 5m	sd	s,n,i
Hairpin Banksia	Banksia spinulosa	2m x 2m	sd	s,n,i
Pinnate Boronia	Boronia pinnata	1m x1m	sd	i
Blackthorn	Bursaria spinosa	2m x2m	cl	sh,i
Red Bottlebrush	Callistemon citrinus	2m x 2m	sd,cl	n,i
A Bottlebrush	Callistemon linearifolius	2m x 3m	sd,cl	n,i
Narrow-leaved Bottlebrush	Callistemon linearis	1m x 2m	sd,cl	n,i
Pine-leaved Bottlebrush	Callistemon pinifolius	2m x 2m	sd,cl	n,i
Willow Bottlebrush	Callistemon salignus	2m x 3m	sd,cl	sh,n,i
Alpine Bottlebrush	Callistemon sieberi	2m x 4m	sd,cl	sh,n,i
Port Jackson Cypress	Callitris rhomboidea	6m	sd,cl	s
River Oak	Casuarina cunninghamiana	35m	cl	nm,s
Water Vine	Cissus antarctica	Climber	sd,cl	f
Five-leaf Water Vine	Cissus hypoglauca	Climber	sd,cl	f
Orange Thorn	Citriobatus pauciflorus	1m x1m	cl	f
Old Man's Beard	Clematis aristata	Climber	sd,cl	sh
Common Correa	Correa reflexa	1mx1m	sd,cl	n
Native Seaberry	Einadia nutans	1m x p	sd,cl	f
Blueberry Ash	Elaeocarpus reticulatus	5m	sd,cl	f,i
Ruby Saltbush	Enchylaena tomentosa	1m x p	sd,cl	f
Corkwood	Endiandra sieberi	30m	sd	f
Fuchsia Heath	Epacris longiflora	1m x 0.3m	sd	n
Amulla, Winter Apple	Eremophila debilis	1m x 0.3m	cl	f
Narrow-leaved Ironbark	Eucalyptus crebra	30m	cl	n,s,i
Yellow Bloodwood	Eucalyptus eximia	20m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
White Stringybark	Eucalyptus globoidea	30m	sd,cl	nm,s,i
Red Bloodwood	Eucalyptus gummifera	30m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
Spotted Gum	Eucalyptus maculata	30m	cl	sh,s,n,i
Narrow-leaved Stringybark	Eucalyptus oblonga	6m	sd,cl	nm,s,i
Grey Gum	Eucalyptus punctata	35m	sd,cl	n,s,i
Swamp Mahogany	Eucalyptus robusta	30m	cl	sh,s,n,i
Mugga Ironbark	Eucalyptus sideroxylon	25m	cl	n,s,i
Forest Red Gum	Eucalyptus tereticornis	40m	cl	n,s,i
Sandpaper Fig	Ficus coronata	4m	cl	f
Moreton Bay Fig	Ficus macrophylla	50m	cl	f
Port Jackson Fig	Ficus rubiginosa	10m	cl	f
Prickly Spider-flower	Grevillea juniperina	0.5m x 1m	cl	sh,n,i
Long-leaved Grevillea	Grevillea longifolia	3m x 3m	sd,cl	s,n,i
Green Spider-flower	Grevillea mucronulata	2m x 2m	sd	s,n
Red Spider-flower	Grevillea oleoides	1m x 2m	sd	s,n,i
Pink Spider-flower	Grevillea sericea	1m x 1m	sd,cl	s,n,i
Mullet Creek Grevillea	Grevillea shiressii	2m x 3m	sd,cl	s,n
Red Spider-flower	Grevillea speciosa	1m x 1m	sd	s,n,i
A Hakea	Hakea bakerana	1m x 2m	sd	s,n,i
Broad-leaved Hakea	Hakea dactyloides	2m x 3m	sd,cl	s,n,i
A Needlewood Hakea	Hakea propinqua	1m x 2m	sd	sh,s,n,i
Willow-leaved Hakea	Hakea salicifolia	2m x 5m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
Needle-bush, Silky Hakea	Hakea sericea	1m x 2m	sd,cl	sh,s,n,i
Twining Guinea Flower	Hibbertia dentata	climber	cl	i
Prostrate Hibbertia	Hibbertia diffusa	0.5m xp	cl	i
Golden Guinea Flower	Hibbertia scandens	Climber	sd,cl	i
Broad-leaved Drumsticks	Isopogon anemonifolius	1m x1m	sd	i
Narrow-leaved Drumsticks	Isopogon anethifolius	1m x2m	sd,cl	i
Dusky Coral Pea	Kennedea rubicunda	Climber	sd,cl	s,n
Mountain Devils	Lambertia formosa	1m 2m	sd	sh,s,n,i
Prickly Tea-tree	Leptospermum juniperinum	1m x2m	sd,cl	sh,i
Round-leaved Tea-tree	Leptospermum rotundifolium	2m x 2m	sd	i
Coast Beard-heath	Leucopogon parviflorus	1m x 2m	sd	f
Bracelet Honeymyrtle	Melaleuca armillaris	3m x3m	cl	sh,nm,i
White Feather Honeymyrtle	Melaleuca decora	2m x 2m	cl	sh,i
Pink Honeymyrtle	Melaleuca erubescens	1m x 1m	cl	i
A Honeymrytle	Melaleuca hypericifolia	2m x 2m	sd,cl	sh,n,i
Snow-in-summer	Melaleuca linearifolia	3m x 5m	cl	sh,nm,n,i
Prickly-leaved Paperbark	Melaleuca stypheloides	3m x 5m	cl	sh,i
Thyme Honeymyrtle	Melaleuca thymifolia	1m x 1m	cl	n,i
Jasmine Morinda	Morinda jasminoides	climber	cl	f
Mock Olive	Notelaea longifolia	3m	cl	f
Wonga-Wonga Vine	Pandorea pandorana	climber	sd,cl	n
Pine-leaf Geebung	Persoonia pinifolia	2m x3m	sd	f
Conesticks	Petrophile pulchella	2m	sd	s
Prickly Conesticks	Petrophile sessilis	2m	sd	s
Rice Flower	Pimelea linifolia	1m x1m	sd,cl	i
Rough-fruit Pittosperum	Pittosporum revoltum	3m	cl	s,f
Sweet Pittosperum	Pittosporum undulatum	8m	cl	s,f
Plum Pine	Podocarpus spinulosus	1m x 1m	sd,cl	s,f
A Bush-pea	Pultenaea pedunculata	0.5m x p	cl	i
Turpentine	Syncarpia glomulifera	40m	sd,cl	n,i
Magenta Lillypilly	Syzygium paniculatum	8m	cl	sh,f
Waratah	Telopea speciosissima	1m x2m	sd	n
Kangaroo Grass	Themeda australis	grass	cl	s
Native Peach	Trema aspera	4m	cl	f
Water Gum	Tristaniopsis laurina	6m	cl	n
Tree Heath	Trochocarpa laurina	6m	sd,cl	f

Size: Width in metres followed by height in metres, otherwise tree height (p=prostrate)
Soils: sd-sandy soils, cl-clay or heavy soils
Provisions: sh-shelter, nm-nest material, s-seeds, n-nectar, f-fruit, i-insects

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