Coincidentally, I was poking around at my place today & marveling at the array of small, beautiful indigenous plants which are currently on display in the wild. Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina, Native Oxalis Oxalis perennans, Garland Lily Calostemma purpureum, Caustic Weed Euphorbia drummondii & Tom Thumb Dichondra repens are just five that I noticed. They are all species which could be grown in any size garden in an area where these plants naturally grow. And they're all part of the community of plants which attract insects, ants, butterflies which, in turn, are part of the biota on which native birds depend.
I was surprised that the purple flowers of the Cordyline stricta was liked by 2 Yellow-faced Honeaters. I would have thought the small narrow flowers were too small for this honeyeater. Anyway the Cordyline, a native, grows easily from a cutting and multiplies.
In my survey on what birds were doing, I have been mentioning the plants they were feeding or sitting in. Is this welcome in the survey.
Growing plants which multiply readily is fine as long as they're growing in locations to which they're indigenous. Growing them outside their natural range runs the risk of them becoming invasive of native bushland & severely compromising its quality.
I was surprised that the purple flowers of the Cordyline stricta was liked by 2 Yellow-faced Honeaters. I would have thought the small narrow flowers were too small for this honeyeater. Anyway the Cordyline, a native, grows easily from a cutting and multiplies.
In my survey on what birds were doing, I have been mentioning the plants they were feeding or sitting in. Is this welcome in the survey.
Hi there. The one thing I haven't found anywhere on the internet is a list of plants that birds eat from. I have a daily visit from one Yellow-faced Honeyeater, 3-4 of them if it has found a compatible mate and has bred. I think it is important to know these birds eat the nectar from the Cordyline stricta. Their favourites would probably still be grevilleas and bottlebrushes but no-one can eat the same food day in and day out. Birds and animals need food variety too.
You know, I got a cutting from a honeysuckle plant that I saw an Eastern Spinebill eat from years ago. My plant is enmassed with flowers and the Eastern Spinebill won't touch the flowers. The Yellow-faced Honeyeater won't touch it either. The only bird I have seen eating the nectar is one Silvereye. Just one individual and just a once off event.
Making that list does help of what birds eat. I know with Eastern Rosellas that they won't try new foods unless they watch other bird species eat from the same plants. So your Cordyline stricta may have become an acquired taste for the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters at your place. It may also mean there is not enough variety of food to go around throughout the course of 12 months. That's basically what I found to be the case at my place. Anyway, some of us would love to read your list wherever you decide to put it.
I'm at Tenterfield, NSW. (Formerly known as "Hyperbirds".)
I agree Woko. The Cordyline cutting was taken from a semi-tropical patch within our local landcare site so I presume it is natural to the area. My tiny front garden is composed of all natives of local origin and needs little work except occasional thinning. I like to show people it is possible to have a pretty garden of all local natives - though some people say " Why don't you weed it?".
I guess it depends on what a weed is, mossflower. For myself, a garden which includes local native grasses certainly doesn't contain any weeds. But it may well contains native butterflies & native finches which depend on the native grasses.
I think I suggested long ago that BIBY should do something like this.
Coincidentally, I was poking around at my place today & marveling at the array of small, beautiful indigenous plants which are currently on display in the wild. Twining Glycine Glycine clandestina, Native Oxalis Oxalis perennans, Garland Lily Calostemma purpureum, Caustic Weed Euphorbia drummondii & Tom Thumb Dichondra repens are just five that I noticed. They are all species which could be grown in any size garden in an area where these plants naturally grow. And they're all part of the community of plants which attract insects, ants, butterflies which, in turn, are part of the biota on which native birds depend.
I was surprised that the purple flowers of the Cordyline stricta was liked by 2 Yellow-faced Honeaters. I would have thought the small narrow flowers were too small for this honeyeater. Anyway the Cordyline, a native, grows easily from a cutting and multiplies.
In my survey on what birds were doing, I have been mentioning the plants they were feeding or sitting in. Is this welcome in the survey.
Growing plants which multiply readily is fine as long as they're growing in locations to which they're indigenous. Growing them outside their natural range runs the risk of them becoming invasive of native bushland & severely compromising its quality.
Hi there. The one thing I haven't found anywhere on the internet is a list of plants that birds eat from. I have a daily visit from one Yellow-faced Honeyeater, 3-4 of them if it has found a compatible mate and has bred. I think it is important to know these birds eat the nectar from the Cordyline stricta. Their favourites would probably still be grevilleas and bottlebrushes but no-one can eat the same food day in and day out. Birds and animals need food variety too.
You know, I got a cutting from a honeysuckle plant that I saw an Eastern Spinebill eat from years ago. My plant is enmassed with flowers and the Eastern Spinebill won't touch the flowers. The Yellow-faced Honeyeater won't touch it either. The only bird I have seen eating the nectar is one Silvereye. Just one individual and just a once off event.
Making that list does help of what birds eat. I know with Eastern Rosellas that they won't try new foods unless they watch other bird species eat from the same plants. So your Cordyline stricta may have become an acquired taste for the Yellow-faced Honeyeaters at your place. It may also mean there is not enough variety of food to go around throughout the course of 12 months. That's basically what I found to be the case at my place. Anyway, some of us would love to read your list wherever you decide to put it.
I'm at Tenterfield, NSW. (Formerly known as "Hyperbirds".)
I agree Woko. The Cordyline cutting was taken from a semi-tropical patch within our local landcare site so I presume it is natural to the area. My tiny front garden is composed of all natives of local origin and needs little work except occasional thinning. I like to show people it is possible to have a pretty garden of all local natives - though some people say " Why don't you weed it?".
Thank you Shirley for your interesting reply.
I guess it depends on what a weed is, mossflower. For myself, a garden which includes local native grasses certainly doesn't contain any weeds. But it may well contains native butterflies & native finches which depend on the native grasses.