Gallery of Gardens

Birds in Backyards members from all over the country have sent us in photos of their bird-friendly gardens. As you can see, there is really no limit to the designs you can put in place to attract birds. Have a look through these photos and use them to inspire your own garden. Here are a few tips to remember:

• work from the ground up - healthy soil means a healthy garden (and don't forget to mulch)
• don't start from scratch - add plants to your garden and let them establish before removing unwanted vegetation
• put in locally native plants - check out our Gardening for Birds section for some plants suitable for birds and talk to your local council as well
• create density - small birds need shrubs to provide protection and for food and nest sites. Plant in clumps or even hedges to provide cover
• plant a variety of plants, some that attract insects, some that provide nectar, some that provide fruit - you want to have different plants flowering at different times of the year
• avoid hybrid natives with big showy flowers were possible. These provide lots of nectar all year round and the big honeyeaters they attract chase keep smaller birds away
• put in a bird bath or two
• keep an eye on your nest boxes to stop introduced birds taking over
• allow birds to forage for food naturally in your garden rather than feeding them
• protect your local birds from your pets. Keep cats indoors or in a run and have an area of your garden that cats and dogs can't access. Use a spray bottle of water to discourage wandering cats.

Find more information about creating and managing your bird-friendly garden using our step-by-step Guidelines and by reading the rest of the Creating Spaces section of our website.

If you have a bird-friendly garden that you would like to share with us on the Birds in Backyards website, please email us at birdsinbackyards@birdlife.org.au and we would love to take a look at it.