Aussies urged to make simple garden feature after 'amazing' discovery in backyard
Some 300 Australian species rely on tree hollows – but humans are increasingly needed to provide the vital habitat in their own garden spaces.
Due to the growing rate of habitat loss in Australia, hundreds of native species are increasingly reliant on a helping human hand when it comes to a critical part of their life. And that's precisely what people like Dennis Fowler are providing.
A simple creation in his garden in the NSW town of Lithgow has provided a much needed space for a mother kookaburra to nest and shelter her young. And the process of observing the native bird in his backyard has led to some surprising insights into the local animal kingdom.
"We are amazed at the variety of food that these Kookas find to feed their babies. We have seen lizards, worms, gold fish and frogs," he said, also noting the frequency of feeding.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, he explained how he makes the nesting boxes from pine pallets, "preferably those with 20mm thick planks" and gets the various dimensions from the internet.
"Nest boxes need to be tailor-made for each species," he said. "The box size needs to suit the species. Also, the correct entrance hole will prevent predators from destroying eggs or eating the young birds."
Dennis made the kookaburra box some three years ago, using an extension ladder to rig it up some six metres above the ground in his yard.
He has since set up one for rosellas during their last breeding season, "but no luck there" yet, he admits.
Councils deploy nesting boxes, urge homeowners to do the same
Across Australia, some 300 vertebrate species rely on tree hollows. And it's not just birds, with possums, sugar gliders and microbats also needing the nesting space. The vital hollows are used for shelter, nesting sites and rearing of young as well as just keeping cool on hot days and warm on cold days.
Local governments around the country have sought to boost the presence of nesting boxes and urged locals to join them. For instance, the nearby City of Parramatta Council has installed over 450 nest boxes and roost boxes across the LGA while also using chainsaws to carve entrances in dead trees.
In Victoria, the Nangak Tamboree Wildlife Sanctuary sells an array of nesting boxes ranging from about $60 to $120 for anyone wanting to attract owls, ducks, or even a Feathertail glider perhaps.
"Nesting boxes are useful in providing supplementary habitat, particularly in suburban areas, where older trees are lacking," the sanctuary's operations manager notes.
Natural tree hollows can take as many as 100 years to form. And with increased land clearing, urban sprawl and habitat destruction through bushfires, they're not as readily available as they once were to Aussie wildlife.
Online, a growing community of Aussies share their success stories and tips with one another. A public Facebook group called Nest Box Tales has more than 27,000 members where people share their efforts and sheer delight at providing housing for our native birds and animals. An accompanying website has a raft of tips, free booklets and designs for various nest boxes.
Sydney man proves you can bring a bush garden to an apartment
You don't have to have a backyard to join in the trend — as Sydney man Dan Tussie proves. The retiree moved from a farm in rural NSW to a 13th floor apartment in the city. After befriending some local lorikeets, he soon made a number of bird boxes to "give them some privacy" and what has since developed has been "remarkable", he told Yahoo News this month.
Since setting up multiple boxes on his apartment balcony, Dan has watched over over 50 chicks be born inside them over the past four years, admitting he's "really proud" of what he's been able to achieve.
"My immediate neighbour loves them and thinks it's just phenomenal, amazing. He comes and visits and thinks it's just such a rarity to find this situation," he told Yahoo.
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