If you would like to attract more birds to your garden, creating the right environment using Bird Attracting Plants is the key. A bird-friendly garden provides more than just food. Birds also need fresh water, shelter from predators and weather, safe nesting sites and plants that support the insects many species feed on.
Both native and exotic plants have a place in the garden and can attract birds for different reasons. Some produce nectar, berries or seed, while others provide dense cover, nesting materials or a safe place to rest. By growing a variety of plants that flower and fruit throughout the year, you’ll encourage a wider range of birds to visit your garden in every season.
What Birds Look For
Birds are attracted to gardens that provide:
- Food, including nectar, insects, seeds and berries
- Shelter from predators and harsh weather
- Safe nesting sites
- Nesting materials
- Fresh, clean water
- Dense, thicket-forming shrubs are especially valuable for attracting small birds, giving them somewhere to hide and nest. Adding a bird bath nearby will make your garden even more inviting, particularly during hot, dry weather.
Best Bird Attracting Plants
Many plants attract birds, but each offers something a little different.
Plants for Nectar and Insects
Flowering plants rich in nectar are favourites with honeyeaters, lorikeets and many other native birds, while flowering shrubs also attract insects that insect-eating birds feed on.
Excellent choices include:
- Grevilleas
- Correas
- Banksias
- Callistemons (Bottlebrush)
- Melaleucas
- Leptospermums (Tea Trees)
- Acacias (Wattles)
- Kangaroo Paws (Anigozanthos)
- Epacris impressa
- Kunzea
- Baeckea
- Salvia
- Thyptomene
- Kennedia
- Syzygium
- Dianella
One of my favourite bird-attracting plants is Kniphofia, commonly known as Red Hot Poker. Its colourful flower spikes are regularly visited by Rainbow Lorikeets, while honeyeaters also enjoy feeding on the nectar.
Plants for Shelter
Small birds are always looking for somewhere safe to escape from predators. Dense, prickly shrubs provide excellent protection and often become favourite nesting sites.
Some of the best plants for shelter include:
- Hakea
- Banksia
- Lambertia
- Acacia
Plants for Nesting
Grasses and reed-like plants supply nesting material and also provide shelter for ground-feeding birds.
Good choices include:
- Poa
- Themeda
- Stipa
Flowering Plants That Attract Birds
Many traditional garden flowers are also excellent bird-attracting plants, especially those that produce nectar over a long flowering season.
Some reliable favourites include:
- Ajuga
- Alyssum
- Aster
- Bee Balm
- Black-eyed Susan
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia)
- Columbine (Aquilegia)
- Coneflower (Echinacea)
- Daylily (Hemerocallis)
- Evening Primrose
- Foxglove
- Geranium
- Hibiscus
- Mahonia
- Nandina
- Nicotiana
- Primrose
- Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)
- Salvia
- Sedum
- Sunflower
- Verbena
- Viburnum
- Zinnia
Native or Exotic Plants?
While Australian native plants are often the best choice for supporting local birdlife, many exotic flowering plants also provide valuable nectar and attract beneficial insects. A combination of native trees, shrubs, grasses and carefully selected flowering perennials will usually create a more diverse and bird-friendly garden than relying on just one type of planting.
Creating a Garden Birds Love
The most successful bird-friendly gardens provide food, shelter and water all year round.
Plant a mixture of trees, shrubs, grasses and flowering plants that bloom in different seasons so birds always have something to feed on. Avoid using pesticides where possible, as many birds rely on insects to feed themselves and their young.
Finally, don’t forget fresh water. A simple bird bath placed near shrubs or small trees can attract even more visitors and quickly become one of the busiest spots in the garden.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best plants for attracting birds?
Grevilleas, Banksias, Correas, Callistemons, Kangaroo Paws and Kniphofia are among the best plants for attracting nectar-feeding birds, while Hakeas and Acacias provide valuable shelter.
Do birds prefer native plants?
Many Australian birds are well adapted to native plants, but a mixture of native and exotic species can provide nectar, insects and shelter throughout the year.
What attracts small birds?
Small birds prefer dense shrubs, prickly plants, grasses for nesting, and a reliable source of fresh water close to protective cover.
Is a bird bath important?
Yes. Fresh water is just as important as food and is one of the quickest ways to attract a wider variety of birds to your garden.
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