Gardens that are suited to wildlife have a mix of habitats and layers to provide maximum habitat opportunities:
- Mulch, branches and stones are imperative for invertebrates , snails, worms, spiders and reptiles, especially Blue Tongue Lizards
- Trees – chose carefully for urban backyards
- Shrubs – dense and spiky for shelter and nesting
- Grasses and rushes – seeds and shelter
- Groundcovers and Ferns – shelter
- Vines and Ephiphtyes – Butterflies in particular
Look at natural forests surrounding your garden – can you plant similar species to attract the wildlife into your garden? Continous planting forms a corridor through your garden from neighbouring bushland and will attract more wildlife – small birds in particular won’t cross open ground.
Nest boxes and tree hollows are valuable to attract wildlife, but so is having a supply of leaf litter, barks, grasses and spiderwebs for nest making.
A source of water is important to attract wildlife. Ideally the water body is designed and managed to deter cane toads, as well as being surrounded by dense shrubbery to provide shelter.
Gardens which avoid the use of herbicides and pesticides, will attract the most wildlife and create a natural balance over time. Snail and rat / mice baits inadvertently poison lizards, marsupials and many birds including raptors.
Keeping cats and dogs at bay in the garden is also fundamental to attracting and retaining wildlife in your backyard.
Trees
| Species | Common Name | Wildlife |
| Acacia spp.
A. cincinnata, A. leiocalyx, A. maidenii A. disparrima A. melanoxylon A. oshanesii |
Wattles | Rosellas, Cockatoos and Red-winged Parrots eat the seeds
Spiny Leaf Stick Insects feed on wattle foliage This stick inspect is regarded as one of the most fascinating insects and commonly sold overseas in the pet trade Also hosts for butterflies and moths including Imperial Haristreak, Tailed Emperor and Large Grass Yellow Butterfly The sap exudes are critical feeding for Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders |
| Allocasuarina littoralis
Allocasuarina torulosa |
Black She Oak
Forest She Oaks |
The seed cones are Critical feed tree for Glossy Black Cockatoos.
She-oak seeds are also eaten by a variety of Finches and Parrots |
| Archontophoenix cunninghamiana | Bangalow Palm | Fruit-doves, Whiteheaded Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Double-eyed
Fig-Parrots, Koels, Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Figbirds feed on the fruit |
| Capparis arborea
Capparis mitchellii |
Caper Bush Wild Orange | Caper White Butterflies breed in large numbers on he leaves of this species |
| Citrus Trees (exotic) | lemons, limes, etc. | Butterflies including Blue Triangles, Dainty Swallowtail and Orchard Swallowtail lay eggs on citrus leave and the larvae feed on leaves |
| Eucalyptus bancroftii
Eucalyptus conglomerata |
Tumbledown Gums
Swamp Stringybark |
Many bird species such as Spotted and Striated Pardalotes, Bell Miners, and other small Honeyeaters feed on the sugar rich secretions of lerps, often present in eucalypts. |
| Ficus coronata | SandpaperFig | Flocks of Figbirds feast on the fruit when ripe |
| Glochidion ferdinandi | Cheese Tree | Ringtail Possum likes the cheese fruits and use the tree to build their nest
Fruit-doves, Whiteheaded Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Double-eyed Fig-Parrots, Koels, Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Figbirds also feed on the fruit |
| Melaleuca spp.
M. linarfolia. M. quinquinervia, M. sieberi, M. patchphylla, |
Paperbarks | Rainbow lorikeets and a wide variety of Honeyeaters.
Ringtail possums love eating the flowers and commonly use this shrub to build their nest |
| Melicope elleryana | Pink Doughwood | Fruit-doves, Whiteheaded Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Double-eyed
Fig-Parrots, Koels, Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Figbirds feed on the fruit |
| Syzgium spp. Including
S. austral S. luehmanni |
The fruit is very important food source for many birds including
Fruit-doves, Whiteheaded Pigeons, Brown Cuckoo Doves, Double-eyed Fig-Parrots, Koels, Bowerbirds, Catbirds and Figbirds Other birds such as Australian King-Parrots, Lewin’s Honeyeaters, Pied Currawongs, Helmeted Friarbirds, Orioles, Cuckoo-shrikes, Silvereyes and Crimson Rosellas are occasional foragers |
Shrubs
| Species | Common Name | Wildlife |
| Acacia spps including
A. attenuata, A. complanata, A. hubbardiana, A. longissima |
Wattles | Rosellas, Cockatoos and Red-winged Parrots eat the seeds
Spiny Leaf Stick Insect feed on wattle foliage. This stick inspect is regarded as one of the most fascinating insects and commonly sold overseas in the pet trade. Also hosts for butterflies and moths including for Imperial Haristreak, Tailed Emperor and Large Grass Yellow Butterfly The sap exudes are critical feeding for Sugar Gliders and Squirrel Gliders |
| Banksia integrifolia
Banksia robur |
Coastal & Swamp Banksia | Attracts Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos to consume the seed cones
Popular with other large honey eaters including Blue Faced Honeyeaters, Brown Honeyeaters, Friarbirds and Wattlebirds |
| Dodonaea viscosa
Dodonaea triquetra |
Sticky & Large Leaf Hop Bush | Seed capsules that are eaten by Australian King-Parrots |
| Leptospermum polygalifolium
Leptospermum petersonnii |
Tea – trees | Crimson Rosellas love the fruits of this species |
| Melaleuca spp.
M. nodosa M. pachphylla, |
Bottlebrush | Parrots and Honeyeaters
Ringtail possums love eating the flowers and commonly use this shrub to build their nest |
Grasses, Sedges and Rushes
| Species | Common Name | Wildlife |
| Juncus usitatus | Freshwater Rush | Common habitat for frogs including Wallum Sedgefrog, Eastern Sedgefrog |
| Cymbopogan refractus | Barbed Wire Grass | Warblers, Fairy Wrens, Golden headed Cisticola and Finches favour the tall grasses
Tall grasses are valuable habitat for Brown Quails and Crested Pigeons |
| Themeda triandra | Kangaroo Grass | Warblers, Fairy Wrens and Golden headed Cisticola and Finches which favour the tall grasses.
Common Planigale a mouse sized marsupial favours the kangaroo grass habitat |
| All grasses gone to seed | – | Flocks of Galahs and Corellas love grasses gone to seed. |
Groundcovers and Ferns
| Species | Common Name | Wildlife |
| Viola hederacea | Native violets | Wallabies including Black Striped, Red Necked and Swamp Wallabies love feasting on the flowers of native violets in forest clearings |
Vines and Ephiphytes
| Species | Common Name | Wildlife |
| Amyena miquellii and Dendrophtoe vitellina | Mistletoes | Mistletoes are a parasitic plant that are found in the canopy of many trees and shrubs
They are very important species for many butterflies such as Common Jezebel and Mistletoe Birds |
| Cissus spp.
C. antarctica C. hypogaluca |
Kangaroo Vine
Water Vine |
Host plant for striking Josephs Coat Moth both as a caterpillar and a moth |
| Pararistolochia praevenosa | Bird Wing Butterfly Vine | Host plant for Richmond Birdwing Butterflies – the most beautiful butterfly in Queensland |
Things not to Plant or Remove for your Garden
As well as our bushland weeds here are some additional tips
Moncultures of Grevillea cultivars – attract territorial miners that exclude the other birds
Spathodea campanulate – African Tulip Tree – kills native bees
Aristolochia elegans – Dutchman Pipe Vine – confuses Richmond Birdwing Butterflies as a host plant and the leaves poison the larvae when they hatch
More Information:
https://pollinatorlink.org/pollinator-link-plant-profiles/
https://birdsqueensland.org.au/downloads/bq_birds_in_gardens_part1.pdf
https://backyardsforbiodiversity.org/
Shaun Walsh