Attracting Birds to your garden!
With over 300 bird species found in the Drakensburg and KwaZulu-Natal Midlands areas, and over 40 of these being endangered or highly endangered, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa is the perfect place for bird lovers to base themselves, no matter the time of year. This home away from home is situated in the KZN Midlands amongst rolling green hills and lush vegetation.
When looking to attract bird life into your winter garden and the objective being to have them visit and live all year around, first prize would be having an indigenous garden so they stay, as there are certain plants that attract them.
We are very fortunate to have so many indigenous plants in our country which are perfect as they suit our climate and as we are restricted with water, they also aren’t as thirsty as alien plants.
Give some thought of which birds you are looking to attract, and which of those birds reside in your area (possibly use Google for this as a guideline).
There are multitudes of food that birds eat, from fruit eating, seed loving, insect buffets, nectar lovers, mixed feed as well as predatory birds.
So, when you get that right, you are on the right path to having a life filled with sights and sounds of birds in your garden.
Why not plant sunflower seeds or mealie plants, which are so rich in protein and unsaturated fats, and so easy to grow. They also bring the local monkeys and you don’t have to worry about them wanting to rummage in your kitchen as you have provided a feast outdoors.
If you have excess fruits, why not put out for the local birds. There is really no need to waste and the “little feathered friends” will certainly enjoy the feast.
Meal worm and bone meal is another alternative and is so inexpensive. Scattered in a bird feeder or on the ground, this will bring in a variety of birds which you can enjoy watching while they feed.
When putting out food, try placing it at least a metre off the ground so they can be protected against ground predators. Also try set up feeders in different spots around the garden so you can enjoy seeing birds in more than one feeding spot.
Just in case you didn’t know, don’t feed bread and dairy products as many birds may get ill from this type of diet.
Also remember to clean the bird feeders, removing any algae and dampness. Apart from not being ideal for our flighty friends, it will also start to smell.
Try and feed natural foods and nothing that could have been sprayed with pesticides, as you don’t want to provide any hazards to our fauna and flora. Ensure your birds have access to clean drinking and bathing water by providing a birdbath or shallow dish which ideally should be raised off the ground. Nothing more precious than watching birds frolicking around having a good ol’ bath.
By following some of the tips above, help out Mother Nature where you can and reap the rewards by hearing lots of songs and seeing more life in your garden.
See you soon in our winter wonderland.
https://www.lovethegarden.com/uk-en/article/what-feed-birds-winter
https://www.gardenwise.co.za/oceanic-africa-dive-store.html