Birds like some fruits more than the others. The Bulbuls feed on the Bell fruit where as Squirrels, Barbets, Wood peckers, crows, parrots, etc feed on the papaya fruit. The birds reach the ripe fruits before we can fetch them.
It has become our habit to leave some fruits for the avians to feed on, so that they become permanent residents in the garden.
And yet by nature as they are migratory in behaviour, it is seldom we have birds nest in the garden. We avoid using insecticides and offending chemical fertilisers which fill the air with their nauseating odour. We prune the trees without making the trees bare. But they are not enough. The forty or so species we have identified in our garden during the last five years make us feel that there are more birds making our garden in their flight path.
Anna and I are learning more about gardening in order to make the environment more homely for the birds.
M.C.Mathew (text and photo)
