Several of the ACT’s endangered and critically endangered birds rely on flowering and seeding native trees. While their preferred habitat is large box-gum woodland eucalypts a suburban garden can still provide a food source and protection helping to protect these birds. Native shrubs and trees that have adapted to the cold, dry conditions of winter and the hot, dry summer conditions require less water, less maintenance, and provide habitat for local birds. The following small natives all stay under 5 metres, making them suitable for standard suburban blocks and for attracting native birds.
Cootamundra Wattle
Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot (Critically Endangered)
Both species are nectar specialists whose core habitat is flowering box-gum woodland, but they will feed opportunistically from smaller nectar-rich natives in gardens, particularly during winter migration through the region. Suitable smaller options include:
- Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’ (Bottlebrush) – grows to around 4 m, reliable nectar source, produces crimson brush-like flowers in spring and summer that attract honeyeaters and other nectar-feeding birds. Hardy to Canberra frosts once established, with moderate drought tolerance. Trim after flowering to maintain shape.
- Banksia marginata (Silver Banksia) – grows to around 5 m, and is one of the most frost-hardy banksias, reliable through Canberra winters. Creamy yellow flower spikes attract nectar-feeding birds, and the silvery foliage adds contrast to the garden. Good drought tolerance in well-drained soil.
- Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle for the Regent Honeyeaters – low, spreading groundcover to shrub, around 0.5 m tall × 2–3 m wide. Frost hardy once established and has good drought tolerance once established. Deep red toothbrush-style flowers for most of the year, peaking in spring make it a reliable nectar source across seasons.
- Grevillea victoriae (Royal Grevillea) for the Regent Honeyeaters – shrub to around 1.5–3 m tall × 2 m wide, depending on form. One of the most frost-hardy grevilleas, naturally occurring in the cooler high country of southeastern Australia. Good drought tolerance once established. The flowers are bright orange-red clusters, flowering mainly in autumn through winter. They provide food when Yellow Box and Ironbark aren’t flowering.
Gang-gang Cockatoo (Endangered)
The ACT’s faunal emblem feeds on eucalypt seed and the seed pods of natives such as hakea, and typically nests in hollows of old, mature eucalypts. In a smaller garden:
- Hakea microcarpa (Small-fruit Hakea) – grows to around 2–4 m. Prickly foliage provides safe nesting habitat for small birds, while white flowers in spring attract insects and, in turn, insect-eating birds. Frost hardy and well suited to poor, dry soils.
- Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) – grows to 8 m tall × 5 m wide, compact and suited to a standard block. Frost hardy and drought tolerant with masses of bright lemon-yellow flowers from late winter into spring. Its winter blossom is one of the earliest nectar and seed sources for birds.
- Eucalyptus gregsoniana (Wolgan Snow Gum) –) a dwarf snow gum from the Braidwood area, growing to 4–5 m with a smooth white trunk. Excellent frost tolerance, having adapted to high-altitude sites, and strong drought tolerance once established. Its structure and foliage provide shelter for small birds.
- If your property already has a mature, hollow-bearing eucalypt, retaining it does more for nesting habitat than any new planting can, since hollows take decades to form
Getting the Most from a Small Space
These shrubs and trees won’t replace woodland habitat, but a garden with several flowering natives adds to the nectar available as these birds move through Canberra. and can provide real value during migration periods even on a standard block. Water is also worth considering: a shallow birdbath, topped up regularly, supports these species alongside food-producing plants.