TREES THAT FEED BIRDS

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 110, 5 April 1930, Page 3

TREES THAT FEED BIRDS

HINTS FOR GARDENERS AND SETTLERS. ’ ; Tho following article was written' six years ago by Mr W. W. Smith, then curator of the Pukekura Park; New Plymouth, and appeared in New,. Zealand Life. It is reprinted because, of its general interest to-day in regard to native birds. “'ln order to provide some-natural food for some species of native birds, Mr L. O. H. Tripp f) president of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, very "wisely advocates the planting of areas of suitable melliferous flowers and berry-bearing native and exotic shrubs and. trees. Mr .(Tripp also ..suggests planting the., native shrubs and trees thickly in association with English evergreen shrubs .” and deciduous trees. Thus planted, in good soil, good holes and in sheltered situations, they; generally progress.perfectly. Mr Tripp has supplied mo with a copy of a letter received by him from tho late T. W. Adarnk, of Greendale, Canterbury;, in response to Mr Tripp’s request for a list of shrubs and trees whose fruit are eaten by wild birds. Appended is Mr Adams’s letter: In reply to your inquiry with respect to trees and shrubs that would provide food for native birds, the following are all suitable, and berries of all are eaten by birds here. The first berries of the season are ivy berries (Hedera). These are in great demand by the birds' The Juneberry (Amelanchier), ripe in December, is another early berry that the birds are very keen after. This is a very fine, flowering, large shrub. Azara microphylla, a beautiful evergreen shrub with .strongly scented flowers, hears berries that the birds are very fond of. Then there is the bird cherry (Prunus Pennsylvanica). There are several species, and besides being ornamental, one species, Prunus serotina, is a valuable forest tree. Elnegnus longpipes is another shrub which fruits nbundantlv, and the berries are very much sought after by birds. For the honey-eaters, the fuschia is a favourite 1 tree. Other trees bearing berries, and suitable for growing in plantations to provide food for birds, are the bear berry (Arctoataphylos). Aristotelia Tacemosa, Aucuba japonica, Berberis (many species), Cotoneaster' (many species), Coprosma (several species), whitethorn (Grateegus) (many species), the holly (Ilex),; junipers, honeysuckle (Lopicera), wild plums' (Prunus), Podocarps, Rhamnus, Ribes, Rosa, Itubus,: Shmbucus, Taxes; all are berry-bearing, and the berries are eaten by birds‘here.’ FOOD FOII HONEY-EATERS. “To the above list I would subjoin the following trees and shrubs. Their fruits are all more or less freely eaten by one or moro species of native birds: - The nativo honey-eaters —the tui, bellbird- and silver-eye—visit the melliferous flowers of tho Eucalypti (gums), Buddies globosa, Metrosideros (ratas), Myoporum Laetum (ngaiol,. Knigntia exceisa (rewarewa), Sopliora tetraptera (kowhai), Clianthus puniceus (tfgutU kaka),- Ooriaria rusci folia (tutu), and all tho varieties of Phormium tenax (flax). Wherever fjax - is grown it is a great attraction to numerous species of insects, on which birds corns to feed freely. Tiro English starling is also a koney-eater during tho flowering ol the flax, which it visits and probes the stamina! tubes for honey secreted at their base.;; Flax should be grown wherever possible fo supply a quota of wild birds' food during two months of the year. The ngaio and fuchsia <konini) berries are much eaten by birds. BERRY-BEARING SHRUBS. “The following list of berry r bearing shrubs and trees are all visited by birds, both native and ’ introduced, during the season when their fruits ripen. The first eleven species are in; troduced plants: —Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree). Aomeni florabunda, Benthamia iragifera (Indian strawberry tree) grows well and naturalises freely in Taranaki. Euonymus Sp. Pyrus aucuparia (mountain ash), Prunus padus and Prunus serotina, mentioned by the late Mr Adams./also grows luxuriantly and fruit freely ip the. North Island. We planted a tree of the former in Pukekura Park sixteen years ago, which is now a large tree, and bears ivell annually. The fruit is eagerly eaten by- birds. Artostaphylos, also mentioned by Mr Adams, are low-growing shrubs 'and trailers: I have only met with A. uv.aursi (bears’ grape), which bears well in New . Zealand Schinus molle (coral pink berries), Viburnum Sieboldti, and Prunus fsp. flourish luxuriantly in the North Island. “The following native plants are all a source of food, in different parts ofthe country, to many species of tiative birds. The berries of Astelia trinevia. (kauri-grasß) and A. Solandri qro much eaten by native- .crows. BeiL schmiedia tawa and B. tarairi, in the north. Elaeocarpus dentatus (hinau) Enargea marginata (puwataWata), Eugenia Ma ire (Maife tawaki), Nertera depressa, Panax Sp.' (Whauwhaupaku), Pernettya Nana, Passiflora teti randra (Koliia), Pcnnantia corymbosa (KaikOmako). Pimelia Sp., Corokia Sp. (Korokia Taranga), Griselinia Sp. (Papaumu) 1 , Alaeuosdiia Sp. -'Vitflx . lucens (Puriri), Schefflera digitata (Patete), Solanum .aviculare (Poroporo),-S. nigrum (Poroporoiti), Podocarpus ferruginous (Miro) and P. spicatiis (Matai). . The fallen fruits of the two latter species are miich< eaten by . the kiore.' or native rat, and the introduced Norway and black r.at. 'The latter has been, and is, more destructive to native birds in the forests than the Norway rait. “When the trees, in pine plantations have their steitiß bleared six or seven feet, or moro, at the # hase, and vtae berries of several species of coposma, Karaka, Kohekohe, and other .species well sown under them, these grow rapidly, and greatly enhance the appearance and value of the plantations, especially in the North Island., / I earnestly advocate tho sowing of seed of Sophora tetrqptera, and its tiVo varieties, and planting them extensively in both islands to provide honey in spring time for the native honeyeaters. Tho seed germinates in two months, and the plants grow well/ Whilst the delightful bellbirds and tuis are with us the kowhai and harakeke (flax) are a great attraction to them when planted near the settlers’ homes.” - v