CREATE A BACKYARD
BIRD SANCTUARY
Bring the dawn chorus back to your little corner of New Zealand.
Image: Dylan Higgison | ©
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
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Plant a native tree to provide birds with shelter and kai. Native plants are a natural source of food for manu like tūī, korimako/bellbirds and kererū.
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Your local garden centre can help you choose natives that will do well in your area, or check out DOC’s guide to attracting birds to your garden. You’ll find a monthly calendar showing you how to create a year-round supply of nectar, berries and seeds.
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Do insect-loving birds like pīwakawaka/fantails, riroriro/grey warblers and tahuou/silvereyes a favour by leaving plenty of leaf litter on the ground. Leaves and sticks provide homes for native insects that can help your garden and the birds. Double win!
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Cats are natural predators of birds. To help keep birds safe, keep your cat indoors or contained inside a ‘catio’, especially at night.
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If you’re serious about making your garden safe for birds, you’ll see the best results when you get trapping.
HOW YOU'LL
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Most Kiwis live in towns and cities, where gardens make up a big part of the green space. If you make your backyard a safe place for native birds, you’re making a difference for nature in New Zealand.
READY TO DO MORE?
Talk to your neighbours about what you’re doing and the manu that are thriving in your garden. When you work together with others in your community, you can create a safe haven for birds in your backyard and beyond.
ARE YOU IN?
It takes everyone to make a difference for nature. Every little bit helps.
NATURE'S IN
TROUBLE
Thousands of our native species are heading towards extinction, but it’s not too late to save them.
All around New Zealand, Kiwis are bringing nature back.
RELATED ACTIONS
Join thousands of Kiwis who are giving native species a fighting chance against introduced predators.
Or a kōwhai, or a makomako, or any of the other 2,000 plant species only found here.
Help native insects and lizards bounce back in your backyard.