Bird table in SE Asia: what food?

[Hanno]

My wife wants to put a bird table in the garden of the hotel I work in here in Viet Nam. What fould should she put out? As elsewhere in Viet Nam, there are not many birds: Common and Ashy Tailorbird, Black Drongo, Munias, Olive-backed Sunbirds, Plain-backed Sparrows and Streak-eared Bulbuls are what we usually see.

Any advice appreciated.

[James Eaton]

Hi Hanno,

Not sure I can give much advise on this one. For Sunbirds worth planting some low-growing (upto 2 metres high) flowers that you've seen sunbirds feeding on elsewhere.

I would assume most Munia's and Sparrows (though not sure about the less habituated Plain-backed) would come to any seeds as Sparrows would in Europe. For other species might be worth asking the bird sellers in the markets what they feed the mentioned species. For Tailorbirds I would guess it's worth putting out fallen berries?

Try putting out fresh and rotting fruit and see what happens (I'm sure Myna's would love them anyway!). Should be an interesting experiment, would enjoy hearing how you get on.

Good luck!

James

[Mark Bruce]

Hi Hanno, I put out papaya and a general mixed seed that I get from the market. They usually use it for the smaller seedeaters. These two items seem to work pretty well here.