WILVOS occasionally get calls to our 5441 6200 Hotline asking how to attract birds to a garden. The most effective and easiest option is a birdbath of clean water each day.
Of course, we can improve upon that by planting fruiting and flowering native shrubs, along with some seeding grasses. I love to watch visiting birds of all colours, shapes and sizes! Some stay to make a nest and raise chicks.
What about the carnivorous birds? Magpies, peewees and kookaburras will love it when you dig up a few worms for them while you are gardening, or you could start a worm farm! Sadly we are seeing an increasing number of birds come in that are diagnosed with metabolic bone disease. The young ones are often found on the ground. Their fragile little bones are bent and fracture so easily when suffering from this very preventable disease.
Unfortunately, well-meaning people are feeding bread, cheese or mince to the birds. Of course they will eat it and go to every house that will feed them. Meanwhile they are missing out on all the important nutrition they get from their natural foods. The result is disastrous. Many a carer has been brought to tears seeing the xrays of a bird that has deformed legs that just cannot support the body. The incorrect diet fed to adult birds carries through to chicks when they hatch.
So please, if a magpie comes to visit you, just dig up some worms or find some bugs in your trees or ‘vege’ garden. They will love them and they will then continue to eat all those pests in your garden. The smart birds are the flycatchers. They don’t come to ground, they just hunt the insects on the wing. Great little workers!
Donna Brennan Wildlife Volunteers Assoc Inc (WILVOS) PO Box 4805 Sunshine Coast Mail Centre Q 4560 PH 5441 6200 www.wilvos.org.au