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gardening for birds

Nature is truly amazing in its variety and use of the full spectrum as to
what is available for nesting sites. We are all familiar with birds which

nest at the top of trees, in the middle, in forks, in tree trunks and on
sand banks, but we are not so aware of those which use ground cover
and grass clumps.

For instance, the beautiful little White-throated Robin-chat nests in an open cup at the
base of shrubs or Cryptopoda aloes on the ground, and is wary of passing cats and other
carnivora. Both scrub-robin species that occur here use deep cup nests placed in grass
tufts at the base of a tree. The African Hoopoe uses a variety of sites, including holes in
the ground and termite chambers. The Spotted Thick-knee uses a simple scrape in the
ground, usually adjacent to debris and plants.
Those who have large gardens will know that game birds such as francolin, spur fowl and
guineafowl all have simple scrapes on the ground, but well concealed under grass or in
thickets.
There are many non-garden species which lay their eggs in scrapes on the ground or in
leaf litter. Those that come to mind are nightjars, coursers, and plovers. So ideally set
aside an area of thick shrubbery in your garden that won’t be disturbed, and you may be
visited by one of these delightful birds.
by Harold Hester & Photographs by Ian White
( For more information - www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw )

Nightjar
28 Red-eyed Bulbul