It was a cold and blustery night in Collector, but the Memorial Hall was warm and the conversation even warmer. We were joined by Shirali from BirdLife Australia’s Birds on Farms ACT-Yass project for an evening focused on woodland birds, why they matter, what they need, and what we can do to help them return to the landscape.
Woodland birds are indicator species, so when they’re present and diverse it’s a sign the broader ecosystem is in good health. When they decline, it tells us something important is missing. Over the past 30 years, organisations including BirdLife and Sustainable Farms ANU have been researching how birds respond to land management activities like planting, connecting habitat patches and adding structural complexity. The Birds on Farms ACT-Yass project expands on that research, with bird surveys complementing detailed habitat restoration plans.
What birds need
The key principles aren’t complicated, but they do require thinking across the whole property and beyond, as important habitat may be on an adjoining property. Connectivity is central, because birds need to be able to move between patches of habitat to forage for food and water, and to find places to nest. For many of our smaller woodland species, patches more than 50 metres apart can be a barrier to movement. Shelterbelts, remnant bush and features like dams can all be linked up to create safe travel corridors across a property.
Structural complexity is also key to bird habitat. More structural complexity means having a shrub and understorey layer as well as canopy trees. Mistletoe, thorny shrubs, fallen branches and logs on the ground, leaf litter and other messy features can all provide shelter and food for birds. Different bird species use different parts of the habitat, from the canopy and trunk through to the understorey and ground, so the more layers available, the more bird species a patch can support. Hollows are also important to many native bird species, and where old hollow-bearing trees are scarce, manufactured hollows can be a practical option.
Where to start
The good news is that these principles can be applied at a range of scales, and even small actions on your property can make a difference, particularly when neighbours are working towards the same goals. If you own property in their project area and are interested in a habitat restoration plan, BirdLife Australia’s Birds on Farms ACT-Yass team is a great place to start: bof-act-yass@birdlife.org.au
Resources shared on the day