Backyard bird watch
THEY can fly, walk, run, swim and are found in the air, oceans, freshwater, seashores, rainforests and deserts.
Their unique features make them easily recognised. They are our feathered friends – the birds.
Birds are important because they pollinate plants, disperse seeds, scavenge carcasses and recycle nutrients back into the earth.
Spend time outside these holidays around your backyard and local area spotting the different types of birds that inhabit your place.
Build it
Just like us, birds need a living environment with food, water and shelter in order to survive.
Create a bird-friendly space in your backyard to attract birds to your garden.
Plant native trees, shrubs and ground covers.
Provide safe areas for them to nest.
Provide water for birds to drink and bath in.
TIP
Check out Google Maps and take a ‘bird’s-eye view’ of your local area to see how your garden connects to all the other vital bird habitats around it.
Aussie Backyard Bird Count
Head into the great outdoors and get involved in the Aussie Backyard Bird Count.
All you need is 20
minutes in a patch of choice and some keen eyesight (or binoculars).
Record the birds you know and look up those you don’t on the Aussie Bird Count app or birdlife.org.au website.
Check out this video www.youtube.com/watch? v=EUT4VnEzMq8
Not only will you get to know your feathered neighbours, you’ll also be contributing to a vital pool of information from across the nation that will help see how Australian birds are faring.
Last year, more than 1,400,000 birds were counted.