JustAskSally Posted October 17, 2007 Hello all.. Hopefully someone might be able to help in choosing a Australian Native species to attract native birds to my ol ladys garden.. My mum is wanting to plant heaps of natives to attract birds and provide a screen with the neighbours.. She is terribly allergic to something in the robyn gordon grevillea's (dunno what) and she only wants to have a 1-3m shrub with nice flowers to attract the birds... I dont know much about bird attracting natives and though someone on here might.. Also she lives in the sydney basin area and local plants would definately be a good option.. I told her to plant sticky hop bush but dunno what this would be like attracting the birds.. HELP PLEASE!!!! Wade Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
XipeTotec Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) not native... but ive noticed salvias (the legal ones) tend to attract some nectar feeders into my garden. Edited October 17, 2007 by XipeTotec Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonic Posted October 17, 2007 Grevillia sp. are great for bird attraction, though some people do have allergic reactions to them [sounds like your mum might be], Callistemon sp. are great for attarcting birds into the garden too, that's the common bottlebrush you see around, if kept trimmed they make an excellent screen.. Lots of native flowering trees and shrubs attract birds, always have a look on the plant tag as there will be an icon specifying wheter they are bird attracting or not. As for the local natives, these can be a little hard to source, especially if you don't know the names. Though many are obtainable. If you're keen you can trow me alist and I can tell you if they are local or not. Hop bush isn't really a big bird attracting plant. Hope that helps a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonic Posted October 17, 2007 not native... but ive noticed salvias (the legal ones) tend to attract some nectar feeders into my garden. Yeah also not native, but many Fuschia sp. attract honeyeaters, especially Eastern Spinebills, they are great little bird to have around the garden, New Holland Honeyeaters like them too, but you will mainly get them in certain areas, especially near he bush, heath is a favourite veg community for them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ed Dunkel Posted October 17, 2007 (edited) It all depends on the type of bird you want to attract. Insect feeders will be attracted to where insects (caterpillars etc..) like to reside i.e. grasses. Butterflies are attracted to daisies or shrubs like bursaria, birds eat butterflies. Small birds will also need protection from bigger birds, so spiny shrubs are good, i.e. bursaria, Acacias with spines, spiny hakeas... Nectar feeders, callistemons, banksias, grevilleas, eremophilas etc... Check this article and other articles on the ASGAP site: http://asgap.org.au/APOL10/jun98-4.html A good native nursery should be able to suggest plants appropriate for you area and bird species around the area. good luck Edited October 17, 2007 by Ed Dunkel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MORG Posted October 17, 2007 "Birds in Backyards" is a very worthy program with some very good advice: http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/spaces/gardening.cfm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustAskSally Posted October 17, 2007 Well i did mention basaria spinosa to my mum but she said is that spikey... rar rar rar.. i dont want anything spikey.. BTW I diddnt have the birds in mind when i said sticky hop bush.. She already has a few Callistemon's and she doesn't really want to grow anything that will need to be trimmed back (there too big for what she wants).. They are going to be planted under a two huge ironbarks but the soil is sandy till you get down 2 foot then solid clay.. the soil is almost always dry and especially at this point in time she doesnt really want anything that'll need watering once it has established itself.. Ok so heres what im thinking... maybe something like basaria spinosa (which is a local) would attract the butterflies, and prove a good home for nesting birds.. and then maybe plant some eremophilas for the nectar feeders that are living in the blackthorn so when they wake up in the morn they have breakfast nextdoor..?? thoughts?? Think i might go to the GA nursery tomorrow and have a chat to my ol friend robert.. Thanks for the help every1.. Its so great to have a community like this.. You guys are too cool for school Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shruman Posted October 18, 2007 All Birds love a bird bath so while not being a plant it will deffinitely attract birds to her yard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted October 19, 2007 there are many dwarfcultivars of callistemons that are absolutely gerogeous, in all manner of colors. i love those nectar feeding birds that just hover there drinking. erm banksias> they are my fav native. there would be tons of info on the net and something ill definately research when designing my dream garden, nothin like birds in z garden!! of topic, but i gots a blue toungue lizard that hangs in my backyard...can i feed it anything? is that ok to do so? mince?> me and mydaughter have quite taken to the little charecter, he doesnt seem to be scared of us at all, and particularly likes laying on top of my penis cacti!!!! i shit u not! is he really mescalito in another form??!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustAskSally Posted October 19, 2007 Bluetoungs tame really easily like your one seems to have.. I see no harm in feeding the blue tongue (as long as he doesn't become dependant on you) which is pretty unlikely.. They are a crazy lizard that eats almost anything (even eat greens of those funny smelling closet cultivated plants:)... Anyways here's a link 4 u if you want to check out what would be good to feed him http://www.anapsid.org/bluetong.html Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerbil Posted October 19, 2007 (edited) They seem to like snails and slugs as well as leafy greens from my observations jono, but as said above they probably have a wide diet. oops just saw the link Edited October 19, 2007 by gerbil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MORG Posted October 19, 2007 Feeding him irregularly and rarely should present no problem. There are fanatical wildlife types who will tell you otherwise. Some people get quite upset by the thought of humans getting near a wild animal and changing its behaviour. On an Australian nature forum I'm a member of a recent discussion about bird-baths had people getting very spiney. I used to feed the possums in my backyard from time to time. It was so rare though that the possum could never rely on it or expect so in that manner the animal remained very normal and healthy for an urban possum. Mince would be a good choice. Or you could buy some crickets (put em in the freezer to slow them down) from a pet shop and goad him into pseudo-hunting. They're great animals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted October 19, 2007 yeah hes quite the charecter. i always shit myself when im hangin up the washing and hes under my feet and scurrys of an i think its a snake. i have a scream like nedflanders that im not to proud of. and he just seem to be i dunno, cool i guess, hes notstressin about much which i dig. ill get a pic of him soon and put it up. erm another bird attracting tree -tea trees? plus u can use the oil? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shruman Posted October 21, 2007 "i always shit myself when im hangin up the washing and hes under my feet and scurrys of an i think its a snake. i have a scream like nedflanders that im not to proud of." LMAO Personaly I would'nt feed him & it sounds like he's doing well enough in ur garden anyway but u could make it comfortable a nice flat dark rock for sunning himself & do'nt use snail baits. "On an Australian nature forum I'm a member of a recent discussion about bird-baths had people getting very spiney." Whats the prob with birdbaths? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
