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While it is tempting to attract birds to our
backyards by providing food of various types there are a number of reasons for
not doing so. The problem of dependence on artificial food is only one,
minor, reason. Concentrating birds in unnatural aggregations can make them
more prone to predation, can favour large aggressive birds that dominate the
yard, can upset natural behaviour, can upset the subtle ecological balance
(which has already been disturbed by creating the garden) and can assist with
the spread of disease. On the NSW North Coast species like Noisy Miners,
Blue-faced Honeyeaters, Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Australian
King-Parrots, Australian Magpies, Pied and Grey Butcherbirds and Laughing
Kookaburras are birds that are frequently fed in gardens. The large
honeyeaters and lorikeets are also attracted to gardens because of extensive
plantings of 'bird attractant" grevilleas and bottlebrush. Who are the
losers? The small birds that are becoming increasingly scarce due to
habitat loss - that's who. Feeding birds in gardens isn't the only
problem. Developing gardens that attract larger birds to the
detriment of the smaller birds also plays its part.
There is a compromise. Providing clean water
and a garden full of locally occurring native trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and
grasses will be a much greater help to our birds than by artificially feeding
them. Remember, if you are feeding birds you are doing it for your
benefit - not the birds.
Regards
Greg
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