Small birds prefer winter in the city
Cold wintery weather has quite an impact on small birds in the Christchurch area. Many species of small birds that breed and spend the summer in forest or farmland habitats move into the city for the winter.
This influx includes native songbirds like the fantail, grey warbler, silvereye and bellbird, as well as exotic species including greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, redpoll, dunnock, starling, song thrush and yellowhammer. Rarest among them are the native pipit and tui, with just one or two sightings a year, and the exotic cirl bunting.
It may seem odd that so many birds move into Christchurch at what appears to be the leanest time of the year — with the leaves fallen and few plants flowering — but at about 200 square kilometres, the city’s gardens, parks and roadside trees make up by far the largest area of mixed woodland on the Canterbury Plains.
The sea-level city offers small birds a variety of food sources and it is generally warmer too. Just as ducks descend on Hagley Park in May to feast on acorns, small birds are clever at finding food all over the city. These include the last summer fruits, berries, sap, edible leaves, seeds and insects.
Natives like bellbirds and silvereyes are best known as fruit and nectar-feeders, but they are also seen in the city eating insects. Gardeners who want them to regularly visit should not only choose plants with winter berries but also those that host small insects, spiders, caterpillars and moths.
Severe weather like heavy snow or hail can inflict heavy casualties. If it drops under 0 degrees C for several days, smaller birds find it hard to maintain their body temperature. Many of these little creatures are lighter than a 50 cent piece. Fantails and grey warblers are particularly vulnerable and die in large numbers in those years when the city has snow on the ground for two or three days. |
