Where have all the Birds gone?
I don't need to tell you how long, hot, and dry this summer has been. It really has been like the summers we all remember from our childhood.
For many birds it has been a hard time and we have had many people reporting that birds seem to have virtually disappeared from their backyards and neighbourhoods, even though they have been putting out food for them. This is because the birds greatest need this summer has been for water and in many areas they are simply not finding it so are having to move away from the ready food supply in your feeders to relocate to a water source.

Backyard bird feeding is about more than making sure that the feeder has food in it. Its about creating a complete "bird friendly" environment in your backyard. In other words, trying to recreate the birds complete wildlife habitat within the boundaries of your section.
This actually isn't as hard as it sounds because birds have very basic requirements

• Food

• Water

• Shelter

• Safety from predators

 Food
 This is the easiest because if you are feeding the birds you are already doing this. You may want to start thinking about using different feeders around your yard to reduce competition and also cater for the different species of birds that we have in New Zealand.
While our popular Bottle Seed Feeders cater for all the seed eating birds, we have recently introduced Tube Feeders to our range. These feeders are designed to attract finches and other small birds to your yard. Often these birds, cant compete with the larger species for the food that is put out on other types of feeders, but Tube Feeders are made for them. In the wild these smaller birds will hold onto seed heads with their feet while pecking the seeds out, which is exactly the same actions required to feed from a tube Feeder. Because the Finches, in particular, feel more comfortable using these feeders they will spend more time in your backyard.

Water
Birds need a constant supply of water if they are going to set up home in an area, both as a drinking supply and also to bathe in to control the mites in their feathers. A bird bath is the obvious
solution to providing this but any shallow bowl will do the trick.
 It important that the container has low sides or is made from glass so that the birds can keep a lookout for danger while they are bathing. If they don't feel safe, they will look for another water supply.

Shelter
Many birds are seeking safe shelter in the branches, or nooks and crannies of large trees, or in the dense native bush where they have found safety for generations. Unfortunately the trees and native bush has all but disappeared from many areas, so we need to provide the birds with suitable alternatives if they are going to move into our backyards.
We have had great feedback from people who put up our nesting boxes at this time last year. Most report that the boxes were used throughout winter and spring as either a shelter or a home to raise the new family in.
It is quite important to put the boxes up in the autumn because it is during this time that the birds are searching for a suitable area to spend the hard winter months in.

Safety from predators
This is the hard one.
It's about compromise. Most backyards will never be 100% safe from predators, but then, there are very few natural habitats that are predator free either.
Try to site all feeders and nesting boxes where cats find it hard, or impossible to reach. In many cases hanging or pole mounted feeders will be the best solution to the problem.

Remember to Leave the Leaves
I mentioned this in last autumns newsletter and had several emails from people saying how surprised they were with the number of birds that spent time in the leaf piles.

When  you are raking up all the dead leaves in the garden this year don't mulch or compost them all, but instead build a pile of leaf litter in the back corner of the garden, or under some shrubs.

A pile of leaf litter becomes a home for worms and insects which many birds will be grateful for in the winter months. The pile will become a nesting site for some of the smaller species as well as providing nest building material for other birds.
These piles don't have to be large unsightly heaps of rotting leaf litter that detracts from the beauty of your garden. One or two small heaps placed under shrubs at the bottom of the garden will return great results.