It's actually very easy to attract birds and butterflies
Many people contact us and ask how they can attract birds and butterflies into their gardens. It’s actually very simple. Unless you are living in an apartment in the middle of a very large city, you can do this very easily.
As well, you can provide habitat for other species, such as lizards and frogs. You just build small wildlife sanctuary in your own back yard! If you provide the essentials for all life, food, shelter, and water, the birds and butterflies will come to you!
Before we go any further, if you have a cat, forget it! If you do have a cat, you will be attracting birds to their death. I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is, you can’t have both. I love cats, but birds and cats do not mix!
Having said that, some cat lovers are building cat palaces which are attached to their house. The cat can come inside when it wants to, or go out into the cat abode, which is like a big aviary, where there is lawn and shrubs, and things to climb on, but it can’t get out into the yard and eat birds and lizards. Good idea!
Okay, having sorted that out, let’s move on.
You must use native plants that grow naturally in your own area. You simply set up an ecosystem that is sustainable, provides flowering plants, and maintains itself. This is not as hard as it sounds, and it will be a very nice area for you to relax in!
One of the biggest off-puts to bushbirds, song birds, and butterflies are lawns, driveways, and large open spaces. The more opportunistic species like these conditions, but smaller and more timid birds do not.
They like edges, where they can get some sunlight, flowers and insects for food, and water not too far away. Most of all they like to be close to dense shrubs where they can dive into hiding if a threat appears.
As with other garden projects, planning is important. Draw a map of your back yard, and make a note of what plants and trees you have now, and which of those ones will attract birds and butterflies.
Visit your local botanical gardens and/or nature center, read some bird and butterfly guide books from your local library, and make a list of those plants you will need to acquire.
You will need to find about what species of local butterflies are in your area, and what host plants they use. They don’t just lay eggs on any plant, they have specific plants that the young caterpillar can eat, as it matures to chrysalis stage.
DirectGardening.com - Offers quality plants at great prices, come see what we mean! Birds like flowers with bright colors, especially reds, pinks, and oranges. Birds and butterflies are also attracted by the scent of many flowers. Try to have something flowering all year round if the climate permits.
Butterflies like all the colors above, but also yellow, purple, white and blue. They also have a three phase breeding cycle, from egg to chrysalis, to butterfly. The butterfly stage life span is often only a few days.
Use a series of different plants that will provide seed or flowers all year round. Many small birds eat grass seeds, so put a few clumps of native grass somewhere near shelter, and let it go to seed. Same with dead flowers, don’t pull them off, leave them there for the birds!
Start buying and planting as soon as you are ready. Start in the corners of the yard is a good idea. Plan to plant in layers, because both birds and butterflies like to move from one edge to another. Try to work in a few fruit trees as well. You will get some fruit of them, and they also provide food and shelter for birds.
Most birds like some dead timber or trees to sit on, and hide in. Leave some dead branches or an old stump somewhere, out of sight of visitors if you like. Make sure there is water in the yard, shallow water. Birds can’t swim, and will treat deep water with distrust. Of course if you have built a garden pond, as we suggested elsewhere on this web site, you have already solved the water problem.
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You need to remember that even if you haven’t got a cat, one of your neighbors might, so try not to have a pouncing spot next to water. If you do have a stray cat problem, most local councils have cat traps which residents can borrow. The cat then goes off to the local animal shelter who then try to find a home for it.
You also need to ensure you do not use any poisons. Not only do poisons kill the insects that attract the birds, but any sick insects they eat may kill them as well. If you mulch the soil, that keeps down weeds, helps with water conservation, and provides nesting material and shelter.
Once you actually start planting, it becomes much easier, because you will begin to see the birds arrive, as the habitat becomes more suited to them. Then you can sit back and enjoy your own back yard wildlife and nature reserve!
Happy days, Patrick.
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