keeping away the big birds...

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owlbaby
owlbaby's picture
keeping away the big birds...

Hi guys!!
I used to have small birds such as New-holland honeyeaters, but now my garden is dominated my Pied Currawongs...I have a frog pond too, and the currawongs spend a lot of time watching it, and bathing in it...
is there anything i can do to get the little birds back?
thanks!

koalagrrl
koalagrrl's picture

Hi Owlbaby,
I have a similar problem with wattle birds and ravens. GregL made some really good suggestions about planting to encourage smaller birds (see the post on "Wattle Bird Invasion"), and I'm going to take up his ideas about growing dense and twiggy things, shrub roses, honeysuckles and the like to give the littluns some shelter and protection from the larger and more aggressive birds.
Good luck!

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Hi owlbaby, Hi koalagrrl,remember, I had the same problem with wattle birds? My problem has gone!! The wattle birds had their young,nearly all grown up. They are not territorial anymore, and....the little birds are back!! Even the Red-browed Firetails are back in flocks of 20, or more.I'm very happy about that! (koalagrrl, I still don't have a camera,not coping well!)

M-L

cathshane

Glad to hear your problem has gone Araminta. Must be nice to have the smaller birds back. We have quite a few plumes and new hollands visit us but noticed a wattlebird in last night. It looked like he was chasing the plumes out :(. We were at Point Cook last weekend and we had a good show of the plumes chasing the new hollands whilst the wattlebirds were chasing the plumes and newhollands. Funny thing was though a couple of willie wagtails were chasing the wattlebirds. Very funny to see how nature works. Enjoy the little birds that are back visiting.

Holly
Holly's picture

Plant plant plant owlbaby! Get some nice dense shrubs in the garden for the little birds.

There is info on the BIBY website under 'bird-friendly spaces'

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Thanks Holly, I found the BIBY website on what to plant good, esp.about the weeds. I have found, letting the gras grow into seeds feeds many birds.But I don't understand, after reading what they say about weeds, wheather that's a good idea or not? What do you think??

M-L

Araminta
Araminta's picture

I should explain what I'm on about, as they are saying on BIBY, that nat. birds can't digest non native weeds, does gras qualify as weed? It's not a native plant,is it?

M-L

GregL
GregL's picture

Araminta, first I would say that holly's advice to plant, plant, plant is excellent. The more vegetation you have, the more birds you will get. with grasses, I would say letting any grass grow long is good for birds. the seed will be good food for finches and parrots, and long grass is also good habitat for many birds. Remember that many small birds are insectivores so if they can't eat the exotic plants, they can eat the insects on those plants. Baby birds are almost always raised on insects so this is very important in spring. When it comes to trees, I see more birds on local native trees than exotics, though exotic trees are also good habitat.
My main philosophy is to be positive - planting, fertilising and watering are better than weeding,spraying and pruning. If you fill your garden with dense,healthy plants you will see more birds. Don't worry too much about the details.

GregL
GregL's picture

Araminta, first I would say that holly's advice to plant, plant, plant is excellent. The more vegetation you have, the more birds you will get. with grasses, I would say letting any grass grow long is good for birds. the seed will be good food for finches and parrots, and long grass is also good habitat for many birds. Remember that many small birds are insectivores so if they can't eat the exotic plants, they can eat the insects on those plants. Baby birds are almost always raised on insects so this is very important in spring. When it comes to trees, I see more birds on local native trees than exotics, though exotic trees are also good habitat.
My main philosophy is to be positive - planting, fertilising and watering are better than weeding,spraying and pruning. If you fill your garden with dense,healthy plants you will see more birds. Don't worry too much about the details.

Araminta
Araminta's picture

Thanks GregL, All makes perfect sense to me!!!

M-L

Holly
Holly's picture

A bit of long grass isn't a problem - and there are a wonderful range of native grasses available too like Poa and Themeda. You could give those a try in some areas of your garden.

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