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Save the sparrow: Ten ways to attract birds (1 Viewer)

Jodd

Well-known member
Interesting and informative article in today's Independent

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1932722.ece

Save the sparrow: Ten ways to attract birds

Tomorrow is Feed the Birds Day. But according to the RSPB, Britain's garden species are under pressure as never before, thanks to the current trends for gravel, concrete, decking - and parking. Jonathan Brown reports

Published: 27 October 2006

In Shakespeare's time the "unweeded garden" stood as a powerful metaphor for society's ills. "Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely," warned Hamlet, aghast but impotent in the face of the turmoil around him.

The urge to order and control our surroundings continues to this day. But while this nation of gardeners was once content to till and sow in order to create the required effect, the upsurge in popularity of an unholy trinity of concrete, gravel and decking is being blamed for contributing to the decline of some of Britain's favourite bird species. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, populations of song thrushes, house sparrows and starlings have plummeted in the past three decades.

Fuelled by the proliferation of garden makeover shows on television, old shrubs, trees, flower beds, ponds and patches of grass are disappearing at an alarming rate, submerged under an unforgiving veneer of low-maintenance hard landscaping.

In London alone, enough front gardens to cover an area roughly 22 times the size of Hyde Park have been lost to paving - very often to provide parking. It is estimated that some £600m is spent each year on domestic garden materials with the growth in decking during the past five years being one of the key driving forces.

This is bad news for birds, says Richard Bashford of the RSPB. He explained that as habitat disappears, so too does the food supply. In order to combat the problem, tomorrow will mark the society's annual Feed the Birds Day, when gardeners and home-owners will be encouraged to put out seeds, fat balls and water to help birds survive the winter ahead.

Mr Bashford explained: "We are losing more and more of the natural environment around our homes, particularly our front gardens. Therefore it is even more important that we help the birds by making whatever space we do have as wildlife-friendly as possible."

Even if you haven't got a large garden, you can still do your bit. The tiniest urban garden can support nearly 800 species of insect and several types of birds. Even a window box can help insects take up residence in a previously hostile environment.

Guy Barter of the Royal Horticultural Society, says the answer is simple. "A tidy garden is a garden that is not good for wildlife. The very process of makeover - getting rid of old plants and trees - reduces available resources. Some of the television programmes have encouraged an indiscriminate making over when a more sensitive approach may be more in order."

However, more people are becoming aware of the need to work with rather than against wildlife and nest boxes, ponds and feeders are springing up at an encouraging rate, he said.

The reason for the decline in birds visiting British gardens is still not fully understood, and no single factor can explain why populations are failing to recover. It's ironic, because Britons remain passionately interested in all things avian. The RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch in January involved 470,000 people who spotted some 8.1 million birds and a total of 80 species.

The house sparrow, in decline in London, was the most common visitor nationwide, although numbers are down from an average of 10 per garden in 1979 to 4.4 in 2006. Some species, such as greenfinches, siskins and bramblings, showed a healthy rise.

Tomorrow, the RSPB will be promoting a five-point plan to make Britain's gardens more friendly. Gardeners will be encouraged to plant a native shrub or climber, leave a patch of grass unmown, and allow old stems to remain on plants until spring. But most importantly, gardeners will be asked to put down food. And that other essential of life - water.

1. Food

Variety is the spice of life as far as garden birds are concerned - different species like different things. Shop-bought seed mixes are fine or you can mix your own - a basic mix should contain flaked maize, peanut granules and sunflower seeds. House sparrows, collared doves and finches like small seeds, while tits and greenfinches prefer nuts and sunflower seeds. Fat balls, made of suet and lard, provide a rich source of energy, particularly in winter, although margarine and other polyunsaturated fats can damage plumage and should be avoided. Never feed milk or desiccated coconut. And mouldy bread can also prove hazardous and attract rats.

2. Water

Providing water for drinking and bathing can sometimes be overlooked. Many people think birds can easily find their own sources of drinking water, but providing a garden supply is just as important as putting down food, particularly during summer droughts and in the coldest months when water in ponds or puddles might be frozen. Most small birds need to drink at least twice a day to replace moisture lost through transpiration. Water is also essential for ensuring plumage is in good condition - constant grooming keeps feathers waterproof and fluffy. The easiest way to provide water is in the form of a birdbath. Make sure that this is cleaned regularly and does not get filled up with dead leaves or other garden detritus which might rot.

3. Insects

Birds such as sparrows feed insects to their young. The decline in invertebrate numbers is one possible reason for the decline of this particular species. Insects can be encouraged by a number of simple methods, according to the invertebrate charity Buglife. The key thing to remember is not to be too tidy. Building a log pile - you can use old offcuts or pruned branches or whatever happens to be lying around - can offer a home to beetles, while centipedes and ground beetles, loved by gardeners because they eat plant predators, will find a well-placed stone useful cover. Bees nest in the cracks of old walls so do not re-point flaking cement too regularly.

4. Nesting sites

If your garden is not blessed with lots of natural nesting sites, put up a nest box. All sorts of different species will use the box, depending on the location and the size of the hole. Place the box away from human activity and out of the reach of cats and other predators. Position the box so that it is north or east-facing, which helps to avoid the strongest sunshine and the wettest winds, and tilt the box so that it faces downwards to allow rain to run off. The box should be cleaned during the winter to prevent a build-up of debris and remove parasites such as fleas. A handful of clean hay or wood shavings, may encourage winter use. Bird box cameras are also available, so you can keep an eye on the nestlings without disturbing them.

5. Trees

Native species of trees are normally preferable to imported varieties. They provide cover for nesting birds, refuge for insects in the breeding season and a steady supply of seeds in the winter. Birch, for example, supports a large number of insects, particularly caterpillars, while the oak's acorns attract wood pigeons, jays, greater spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches. Cherry trees are among the first to ripen and are popular with many species in late summer, as many gardeners have learned to their cost. Even the humble crab apple provides a vital source of food. Fallen leaves from deciduous trees also provide food and shelter for invertebrates.

6. Ponds

Many families are wary of having a pond in the garden because of safety fears. However, ponds are important as a haven for all sorts of wildlife, including amphibians, insects and fish, and help promote biodiversity. When it comes to attracting species, the bigger the pond the better the range. Somewhere to perch, such as a large stone, in the middle of the pond will help attract birds to drink and bathe. If that's impractical, try to arrange an overhanging branch or log. Herons are often attracted to ponds and can eat fish but are easily deterred with the use of a wire barrier. Amphibians and fish often make uneasy pond-fellows, however, so if you want to encourage frogs, you may have to forgo the goldfish - they are rather partial to tadpoles.

7. Flowers

Formal flower beds might not occur in nature, but they can still do their bit to encourage birds. Choose the right varieties - ensuring they are suited to the conditions in your garden - and they will provide food and cover for wildlife. Native species are generally best, although non-native flowers can be nectar-rich and attract more insects which in turn attract more birds. Try to ensure that something is in flower throughout the year, which will encourage birds for longer periods. Regular dead-heading keeps flowers coming, which in turn attracts more wildlife. At the end of the season, leave seed heads in place - they'll provide food during the winter.

8. Lawns

Many gardeners obsess about the patch of grass between the flowerbeds and paths. But in order to attract wildlife, such as worms and the sort of insects preferred by sparrows and starlings, the rules should be relaxed a little. In summer, precious water resources should not be wasted on the lawn. No matter how brown it gets, it will survive and will green up astonishingly fast after the first heavy shower. Neither should grass be cut too short. Longer grass maintains moisture. Avoid the use of fertiliser and weedkiller and, if you can bear it, allow the weeds to grow - clover, for example, puts nitrogen naturally back into the soil. You might even want to let a patch run wild. Not only are grass flowers pleasing to look at, they also attract insects and birds.

9. Cats

A controversial subject. The Mammal Society estimates that Britain's nine million cats catch 55 million birds a year. House sparrows, blue tits, blackbirds and starlings are most vulnerable. Yet, according to the RSPB, there is little evidence that cats are responsible for causing bird numbers to decline. Of the millions of birds that die every year, many are already sick or weak. Evidence suggests the most abundant garden bird species are rising in numbers while species declining fastest tend to be farmland birds. If cats are a problem, place feeders out of reach or surround them with spiny plants such as holly. Ultrasonic cat repellents can also be purchased.

10. Chemicals

However much you love your hostas, pause before you get out the slug pellets. The use of pesticides on farmland grew massively from the 1960s and is cited as a major factor in the decline of farm bird species. In recent years, pesticides have become more effective. As a result, the tonnage used has dropped, but environmentalists blame them for reducing biodiversity. In the garden, their use can be limited very easily. Try to choose plant varieties that harbour friendly insects that eat garden pests, such as asters (Michaelmas daisies), poached egg flowers and marigolds. Thrushes, blackbirds and hedgehogs can also be harmed by the use of slug pellets. These species in turn keep slug and snail numbers under control.
 
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I reckon one contributary cause of tidy gardens is the local 'Best Kept Gardens' Competition. Certainly the one's I've seen only reward gardens with not a weed in sight or blade of grass out of place!
 
Know exactly what you mean Mary. I wonder how much pesiticide, weed killer etc is applied to achieve these results. Much better if the Council's gave awards for the most environmentally/wildlife friendly gardens.
 
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