Planting trees to attract native birds

There are a number of native and introduced trees that attract our Native bird species. The flowers and nectar from certain trees are very appealing to the Tui, Fantail and other native birds that are continually flying around looking for spring blossoms for a drink.

Just planting one tree that is attractive to these birds can be enough to entice them from neighbouring areas to visit your property. Once they know that tree is there they will return every year and even potentially begin nesting in the surrounding trees. Some of these birds don’t actually feed off the blossom themselves but the fruit and flowers of certain trees also entice insects to the surrounding area which the birds are after.

Tui, Bellbird, Fantail, Native Wood Pigeon, Waxeye and White eye, Morepork and the Kingfisher are all birds we need to see much more of around the urban and rural environment. Creating food for them is the only way this will happen.

Here is a list of tree and shrub species that flower or produce berries to keep the food buffet in your garden plentiful and attractive.

Alectryon excelsus

titoki red fruit

Carpodetus serratus putaputaweta lilac flower

Cordyline australis ti kouka (cabbage tree)

cream flower

Coprosma repens

taupata orange/yellow fruit

Griselinia littoralis

broadleaf purple fruit

Fuchsia excorticata

kotukutuku or konini red flower, black fruit

Knightia excelsa

rewarewa red flower

Melicytus ramiflorus

mahoe violet fruit

Pennantia corymbosa

kaikomako black fruit

Pittosporum eugenioides

tarata (lemonwood) yellow flower

Pittosporum tenuifolium

kohuhu dark red flowers

Pseudopanax arboreus

five finger black fruit

Schefflera digitata

pate purple/black fruit

Sophora tetraptera

kowhai yellow flower

Vitex lucens

puriri red flower

There is nothing better than going to sleep at night listening to the Morepork or waking up to the flurry of

active Tui darting around a Kowhai tree. Your local tree nursery will also point you in the right direction

for planting options for attracting birds