Gardens for Wildlife
Would you like to know how you can encourage birds and other wildlife to your garden? Greenstyle is a new program across Sydney’s northern suburbs that offers free advice and assistance with making changes in your home and garden that can reduce your environmental footprint, help our wildlife, and can save you money too.
The importance of habitat
Due to development and clearing in Hornsby Shire many native animals have lost valuable habitat such as tree hollows, nesting areas and water sources.
Properties near bushland reserves can offer important habitat for native animals, whether it be suitable nesting sites (such as nest boxes) links to other remnant reserves (via mature trees in backyards) or simply a water source for many birds (in a bird bath or frog pond). Many gardens already have features that can attract or support local native animals.
Fauna friendly ideas
Local plant species
Local plant species can greatly benefit local fauna when planted in your garden. For instance, in Hornsby Shire, the Gang Gang Cockatoo has a limited range and feeds on specific gum trees and casuarina seed. By planting these local species you are supplying the correct habitat and food to local fauna. Many native plants that form berries and flowers attract birds, butterflies and a range of animals, and can be attractive in a garden setting, even formal style gardens. Read more about Creating a Native Garden.
Build a frog pond
There are many reasons to build a frog pond in your backyard. You can provide clean unpolluted habitat for many frog species, water invertebrates and provide drinking water (and food) for many birds and lizards that may also visit your garden. Frog ponds are best placed in a semi shade part of the garden, and not directly under trees to minimise leaf build up. Rain runoff should also not be directed into your pond, to prevent pollution or pesticides killing your pond life.
For more information, download Making a mini frog pond - 1.2MB.
Hollows and nest boxes
Hollows and nest boxes are vital for a range of fauna including microbats, birds, possums, gliders frogs and lizards. You may have hollows in trees already on your property, which is great!
Hollows are used for nesting sites, shelter and feeding spots by a range of animals. It is a dry, cool and safe place that many of Australia’s native creatures rely on. If you take away these valuable homes then animals displaced will often search for less natural hollows like house roofs and garages. Often, the tell tale signs of hollows in use by nocturnal animals are small scratch marks up the tree and around the hollow opening. Bushland areas naturally contain hollows, but in suburbia they are very rare or completely removed because of dangerous or dying trees or development.
By installing a nest box you can provide a safe haven for many native animals in your garden. Put them up high away from predators and near a branch for easy access. There are many different nest box sizes that accommodate a range of animals and many companies sell them. You can alos make your own.
"A Guide to Making a Possum House" can be found on the National Parks website. This guide also details how to persuade a possum to move out from your roof cavity and into the safety of your possum box with little disturbance or bother to the possum.
Lizard Lounges
Lizard Lounges are often already found in many gardens in the form of rockeries, rubble piles and wood piles. However you can easily create your own by placing ceramic piping, small rock piles, large flakes of bark, tall grasses, sedges and rushes, hollow logs or upturned ceramic pots throughout the garden to accommodate for the common garden lizards. Some of the lizards found in gardens include the common skink, blue tongue lizard, large skink, legless lizards and a variety of geckoes. Blue tongue lizards are great in the garden to eat your garden snails and other grubs that may attack your garden. However, remember blue tongues are susceptible to snail bait.
Bird attracting gardens
Bird attracting gardens are beautiful for birds and people! Most plants that birds like, people like too, for the attractive flowers, colourful berries and sweet perfumes. FEEDING: Many people encourage birds by feeding them directly with seed and bread however it is healthier for birds to find their own food on native plants. Nectar feeding birds prefer red and yellow flowers such as banksias, melaleucas, grevilleas, waratahs and bottle brush. Bird baths are great features in a bird attracting garden, and important to birds and other animals for fresh water. SMALL BIRDS: A range of native shrubs and grasses attract small insects which are an important food source for many small birds. To create a safe haven for these birds prickly shrubs can be included in your garden to protect them from larger birds, cats and dogs that may prey on them.
The Flora for Fauna website www.floraforfauna.com.au and the National Parks and Wildlife Services Backyard Buddies program have more information about attracting specific native animals to your garden.
