RAINFOREST TREES SUITABLE FOR BIRDS  

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David McMinn

When planting out your garden or plots of native rainforest, it is important to have a range of suitable species, which produce flowers and/or fruit over the whole year. This is to provide birds, with a reasonably reliable food supply. Most plant species listed are native to the Northern Rivers and south-east Queensland. Those species native to north east Queensland are denoted by NEQ. The species covered include those with nectar rich flowers and those with fruit/seeds. 

The main reference for this page was Jones, David L. Rainforest Plants of Australia. Appendices XVII & XVIII. Reed Books. 1986. This is recommended reading for those interested. Unfortunately, it is now out of print, but it should be available in your local library.            

Species Tall
(m)		 Food Growth
Rate		 Time Attracts 
Birds
Tree Waratah
Alloxylon pinnata

 15 Nectar Moderate October-January
Pink Silky Oak (NEQ)
Alloxylon wickhamii

 10-20 Nectar Moderate Sept-Oct
Ash species
Alphitonia species

 8 Fruit Moderate Sept-Nov
Black Bean Tree
Castanospernum australe

 15-20 Nectar Slow to 
establish		 October-November
Brown Kurrajong
Commersonia bartramia

 10 Fruit Fast 
Pioneer		 March-July
Pidgeonberry Ash
Cryptocarya erythroxylon

 15 Fruit Moderate May-October
Weeping Fig (NEQ)
Ficus benjamina

 15-20 Fruit Fast July-December
Sandpaper Fig
Ficus fraseri

 6 Fruit Moderate May-February
Port Jackson Fig
Ficus rubiginosa

 15-20 Fruit Moderate February-October
Cedar Fig
Ficus superba var henneana

              		 15 Fruit Moderate January-August
White Fig
Ficus Virens

 15 fruit Moderate June - October
Sliky Oak
Grevillea robusta

 

 20-30 Nectar Fast September-October
Pink Euodia
Melicope elleryana

 18 Nectar
Seeds		 Fast on
wet sites		 Flowers: January-February
Fruit: September-December
Brush Cherry
Syzygium australe

 8-10 Fruit/Seed Moderate November-March
Ribeberry
Syzygium leuhmannii 

 15 Fruit/Seed Moderate November-March
Coolamon
Syzygium moorei

 15 Nectar Slow November-January

Golden Penda (NEQ)
Xanthostemon chrysanthus

 

 15 Nectar Moderate March-May
Copyright. ©  2004. David McMinn. All rights reserved.