How to Attract Native Birds to Your Garden in New Zealand

There is something special about hearing tūī calling from the garden, watching kererū move between trees or seeing pīwakawaka dart through the shrubs. With the right planting, your garden can become a welcoming space for native birds while adding colour, texture and year-round interest to your outdoor space.

One of the best ways to attract native birds in New Zealand is to plant a variety of native trees and shrubs that provide food, shelter and places to perch. Rather than relying on a single plant, a diverse garden offers different resources throughout the year.

Whether you have a small backyard, a large garden or a lifestyle block, choosing the right NZ native plants can help create a more wildlife-friendly landscape.

Why Plant Native Plants for Birds?

Native plants have an important role in supporting New Zealand's wildlife. Many native birds rely on a combination of nectar, fruit, seeds and insects, while shrubs and trees provide shelter and opportunities to rest and nest.

A garden with several types of native plants can provide a more varied habitat than one made up of only a single species.

When planning a bird-friendly garden, look for plants that offer:

• Nectar: flowering plants that provide food for nectar-feeding birds.
• Berries and fruit: valuable food sources for fruit-eating birds.
• Insects: foliage and flowers that support insects eaten by many native birds.
• Shelter: dense shrubs where birds can feed and take cover.
• Height and structure: a mixture of low shrubs and taller trees for different bird species.

The aim is to create a garden that offers more than just a place to visit. Ideally, it should provide food and shelter across different seasons.

1. Choose Native Plants That Produce Berries and Fruit

Fruit-bearing native plants are an excellent starting point for a garden designed to attract birds.

Many native birds, including kererū and tauhou (silvereyes), eat fruit and berries. Different species fruit at different times, so a mixture of plants can provide a more consistent range of food.

Coprosma is a particularly useful group to consider. Many species produce colourful berries, and their foliage can provide shelter for smaller birds. Coprosma propinqua, for example, is a hardy native shrub that can be used in wildlife-friendly gardens, shelter planting and native restoration projects.

Click Here to View our Coprosma Collection

Corokia is another useful option. These hardy shrubs offer dense branching, seasonal flowers and fruit, making them a practical addition to mixed native planting.

Click Here to View our Corokia Collection

When selecting fruiting plants, consider their mature size and whether they suit your soil, climate and available space.

2. Plant Flowers That Provide Nectar

Nectar-producing flowers can make your garden more attractive to birds such as tūī and korimako (bellbirds).

Tī kōuka, commonly known as cabbage tree, is a useful example. Its clusters of flowers provide nectar and attract insects, while its berries can provide food for birds.

Click Here to View Our Cabbage Tree Collection

Flaxes and other flowering native plants can also contribute to a garden with a range of nectar sources. Choose a mixture of flowering plants rather than relying on one species, helping to create variety in the garden throughout the year.

Click Here to View our Flax Collection

When planning your planting, think about flowering times as well as appearance. A garden that offers different flowering periods can provide more opportunities for visiting wildlife.

3. Create Shelter With Dense Native Shrubs

Food is important, but birds also need places to shelter and move safely around a garden.

Dense native shrubs can provide cover from wind and weather, protected feeding areas and places for smaller birds to move between plants.

Consider planting several shrubs together to create a layered effect. Lower-growing plants can sit in front of larger shrubs, with taller plants or small trees providing height at the back.

This approach works well along fence lines, around the edges of a property or in a dedicated native garden bed.

It can also be a practical alternative to a single-species hedge if your goal is to create a garden that supports wildlife as well as providing screening.

Click Here to View our Privacy and Hedging Collection 

4. Plant for Different Native Bird Species

Different birds use gardens in different ways, so variety is important.

• Tūī: benefit from nectar-rich flowers and a variety of flowering and fruiting plants.
• Kererū: use suitable trees and shrubs that provide fruit and foliage.
• Korimako (bellbirds): visit nectar-producing flowers and also feed on fruit and insects.
• Tauhou (silvereyes): feed on berries, fruit and small insects.
• Pīwakawaka (fantails): catch insects and may forage around shrubs and trees.
• Riroriro (grey warblers): feed on small insects and benefit from suitable vegetation and shelter.

These are general planting considerations rather than guarantees that a particular bird will visit. Local habitat, nearby vegetation and the availability of food all influence which species use a garden.

5. Plant in Layers for a More Natural Garden

A layered planting design can make a garden more attractive while providing different types of habitat.

Start with lower-growing plants around the front of a garden bed. Add medium-sized shrubs for dense cover and fruit, then introduce taller plants or small trees where there is enough space.

This creates variation in height, texture and foliage while making better use of the available area.

For a larger garden or lifestyle block, you could extend the planting into a wider native shrubbery or connect several planted areas to create more continuous cover.

For a smaller property, even one well-planned garden bed can contribute to a more wildlife-friendly space.

6. Look After Your Bird-Friendly Garden

Newly planted natives need care while their roots establish. Water during dry periods, manage weeds and apply mulch where appropriate to help conserve soil moisture.

Choose plants suited to your local conditions rather than assuming every native species will thrive in every part of New Zealand. Frost, wind, drainage, soil type and summer dryness can all affect plant performance.

Avoid relying on supplementary feeding as a substitute for habitat. A garden with suitable native vegetation provides a more natural source of food and shelter, and any supplementary feeding should be managed carefully to avoid hygiene problems.

Which Native Plants Should You Choose?

If you are starting from scratch, choosing a mixture of species can feel overwhelming. You need to consider plant height, growth rate, flowering, fruiting and how the plants will work together once mature.

Greenmachine's Wildlife Collection makes it easier to get started with selected combinations of New Zealand native plants.

The Bird Lovers Combo combines species including griselinia, corokia, coprosma and tī kōuka. Together, these plants offer a mix of shrub cover, fruit, flowers and height for a wildlife-friendly planting.

Explore the collection here:

Shop the Wildlife Collection – Bird & Bee Friendly NZ Native Plant Packs

You can also browse individual native plants for birds to find additional options for your garden.

Create a Garden That Welcomes Native Birds

Attracting native birds starts with providing the right environment. A mixture of fruiting shrubs, nectar-producing plants, dense cover and taller trees can help make your garden a more useful habitat for local wildlife.

Start with the conditions and space you have, choose plants that suit your area, and allow time for the garden to establish.

With thoughtful planting, your outdoor space can become a more beautiful, varied and wildlife-friendly part of your property.