Gareth Carter: How to attract native birds to your garden

Callistemon (bottlebrush) in bloom.

There is much joy in seeing birds in the garden.

The level of excitement that can result in seeing our own New Zealand native birds in the garden is an interesting and sad phenomenon. One would have hoped that native birds would be found in greater abundance in our gardens. They are in pockets but with far less abundance than they once were.

We can help bring in native birds by providing a good range of food-providing plants for different months of the year. They don’t have to be large-growing native trees either; there are many exotics that provide nectar-rich flowers our native birds love to feast on.

Three brilliant plant species that tūī, wax/silvereye and bellbirds in particular love to feast on are grevillea, banksia and callistemon (bottlebrush). These plants come in sizes highly suitable for small town or larger gardens and produce flowers through the winter months.

Three top grevillea flowering now are:

Grevillea Tangerine Dream: Large clusters of deep orange flowers on the tips of the branches. Grows about 1m by 1m.

Grevillea Superb: Large reddish-orange flowers can pop out throughout the year. The plant is a fast grower, reaching 2m high by 2m wide.

Grevillea Lemon Daze: Bright yellow and pink hanging flowers are produced from autumn all through winter and into spring. Grows about 1m high by 1.5m wide.

Grevillea Superb is a fast-growing plant with large reddish-orange flowers.

Banksia are another range of winter flowering plants. They are very coastal hardy, handling wind and dry conditions too. The flowers are quite unusual looking if you have not seen them before. They are like cylinders or candles standing upright and come in a range of colours. They are adored by tūī in particular for their nectar.

These five below are some varieties that will fit in a range of gardens:

Banksia Menzies Dwarf: Red flowers during autumn and winter; it also has attractive serrated deep green leaves. It grows about 1.5m high by 1.5m wide.

Banksia Coccinea known as Scarlet Banksia: A small to medium tree, growing 2-3 metres high by about 2m wide. Bright red flowers are good for floral art.

Banksia Attenuate Nana (Dwarf Coast Banksia): Showy yellow flowers standing up like candles. Grows 2m high by 2m wide.

Banksia Birthday Candles: This plant grows as a groundcover of about 50cm high by 50cm wide. It is attractive with its “candle-like” bloom standing upright out of the fine needle-like foliage.

Banksia Giant Candles: It has exceptionally long flower spikes up to 40cm long. Flowers are deep orange and appear from autumn to winter. A striking plant for any shrub border and coastal garden. Grows about 3m high by 2m wide.

The callistemon, commonly known as bottlebrush because of its flower shape, is also an excellent source of nectar for birds. They are tough plants being wind, drought and coastal hardy. There is a range of different red varieties that grow to different sizes, as well as some truly spectacular iridescent pinks plus white and violet colour options.

Some varieties to seek out for your garden:

Callistemon Little John: This variety is one of the smallest-growing varieties, producing masses of short deep red brushes tipped gold through spring and summer and occasional blooms year-round. Grows about 1m x 1m.

Callistemon Red Clusters: It has a rounded growth habit with pink new shoots. The flowers are a profusion of brilliant, crimson-red brushes. Grows 3m high x 2m wide.

Callistemon John Mashlan: Produces a profusion of candyfloss-pink brush-like flowers, growing about 4m high x 3m wide.

Callistemon Hot Pink: Hot pink flowers are produced on a smaller-growing plant around 1.5m high x 1m wide.

Callistemon White Anzac: Produces pure white flowers on a plant that has more of a spreading, groundcover-type growth habit reaching 50cm to 1m high and 1m wide.

There are, of course, lots of our own New Zealand plants that will attract the birds. Here are some that provide a good food source, listed by their scientific name, common name and the food provided:

Alectryon excelsus/Tītoki - fruit and seeds

Aristotelia serrata/Makomako (wineberry) - fruit and seeds

Beilschmiedia tarairi/Taraire - fruit and seeds

Beilschmiedia tawa/Tawa - fruit and seeds

Carpodetus serratus/Putaputawētā (marbleleaf) - fruit and seeds

Coprosma/Kanono or raurēkau - fruit and seeds

Cordyline australis/Tī kōuka (cabbage tree) - nectar, fruit, and seeds

Corynocarpus laevigatus/Karaka - fruit and seeds

Dacrycarpus dacrydioides/Kahikatea (white pine) - fruit and seeds

Dacrydium cupressinum/Rimu (red pine) - fruit and seeds

Eleocarpus dentata/Hīnau - fruit and seeds

Fuchsia excorticata/Kōtukutuku (tree fuschia) - nectar, fruit, and seeds

Hedycarya aborea/Porokaiwhiri (pigeonwood) - fruit and seeds

Hoheria/Houhere (lacebark) - nectar

Knightia excelsa/Rewarewa (New Zealand honeysuckle) - nectar

Macropiper excelsum/Kawakawa - fruit and seeds

Melicope ternata/Whārangi - fruit and seeds

Melicytus ramiflorus/Māhoe (whitey wood) - fruit and seeds

Metrosideros varieties/Rata & Pohutukawa - nectar

Myrsine australis/Māpou - fruit and seeds

Phormium/Harakeke (flax) - nectar

Pittosporum varieties/Karo, kohuhu, tarata - nectar, fruit and seeds

Podocarpus totara/Tōtara - fruit and seeds

Pomamderris kumaraho/Kūmarahou - nectar

Prumnopitys ferruginea/Miro - fruit and seeds

Pseudopanax varieties/Houpara - fruit and seeds

Rhopalostylis sapida/Nīkau - fruit and seeds

Schefflera digitata/Patē (seven finger) - fruit and seeds

Sophora micophylla/Kōwhai - nectar

Vitex lucens/Puriri - nectar, fruit and seeds

Here is a useful guide if you want to attract birds into the garden. More of the nectar, seed and fruit-producing plants will provide a good understorey for leaf litter and insects as a food source for insect-loving birds.

Kākā - they like nectar, fruit and insects

Kererū (wood pigeon) - fruit and foliage

Korimako (bellbird) - nectar, fruit and insects

Kōtare (kingfisher) - insects

Pīwakawaka (fantail) - insects

Riroriro (grey warbler) - insects

Tauhou (silvereye) - nectar, fruit and insects

Tūī - nectar, fruit and insects

* Courtesy of NZ Forest & Bird.

For more gardening information visit www.springvalegardencentre.co.nz

* Gareth Carter is general manager of Springvale Garden Centre.