Attract wild birds to your Garden

Attracting wild birds to your garden is easier than you think. Simply choose trees, shrubs and flowers which provide ample fruit and nectar, and the birds will flock to your garden in search of their favourite delicacies.

Here are a few suggestions of what to plant :

Trees :

• The Tree fuchsia produces orange tubular flowers filled with nectar and small fruits, which are both favoured by birds.
• Perdepsis is a small tree which produces masses of small white flowers and black-red fruits for birds to feast on.
• Cheesewood is an evergreen tree, ideal for small gardens. It produces sweetly scented cream flowers and fruits that split open to reveal seeds to entice wild birds.
• The spectacular Coral tree produces beautiful red flowers which attract a wide variety of birds.
• The Mountain bottlebrush produces nectar that attracts sunbirds and many other species.

Shrubs :

• Wild pomegranate produces red tubular flowers and seeds favoured by starlings.
• Mickey Mouse bush boasts attractive flowers which change from yellow to red and shiny black seeds which are loved by fruit-eating birds.
• The Cape rattle-pod produces yellow pea flowers which are loved by sunbirds and sugarbirds.
• Bride’s bush has white flowers which attract insects for birds to feed on and black berries as an added bonus.
• The pretty Pink plume produces pink flowers filled with nectar to attract birds in the neighbourhood.

Indigenous perennials

• Aloes and red-hot pokers are incredibly hardy and waterwise plants which are firm favourites with sunbirds and sugarbirds.
• Wild dagga produces yellow flowers filled with nectar which birds find irresistible. In fact, the Zulu name for this shrub is “bird’s beer”.

Remember to also put out wild bird seed for seed-eating birds like bishops, whydahs, weavers and widows. There should also always be fresh water available for drinking and bathing.