How to support native birds at home.

Besides growing foods how about looking after and attracting our native birds?

Many of our native birds eat nectar, fruit, and insects and a variety of plants are needed.

Which are my favourite native plants for feeding?

• Flax (Phormium tenax). Tui’s will even fight off other birds to protect their favourite food. Nectar, fruit, and seed
• Puriri. (Vitex lucens) You need a lot of space long term but our trees at home have pigeons, Tuis and bell birds in them for up to eight months a year. Nectar, fruit, and seeds
• Five-finger (Pseudopanax arboreus), white flowers in late winter and black fruits in early autumn
• Kōtukutuku tree fuschia (Fuchsia excorticata) Nectar, fruit, and seeds
• Rewarewa New Zealand honeysuckle (Knightia excelsa ) Nectar
• Māhoe whitey wood (Melicytus ramiflorus) Fruit and seeds. Also  a great permaculture plant to break in new food forest land

Other hints: 

* Provide water, particularly in summer, so birds are able to stay hydrated.
* Keep your cat inside, particularly at night.
* Put any feed stations well out of reach of introduced predators.
* Clean your feeder regularly to avoid the spread of disease.
* Set traps to control introduced predators like rats, stoats, and possums.
* Sugar water can be supplementary food for nectar-loving birds like tūī, korimako (bellbirds), and kākā.

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