The storms over the past few years have resulted in many hollow bearing trees being lost. Installing a nestbox provides a safe and dry refuge for many local animals.
 |
| Spotted Pardalote |
The animals that we’ll be giving a helping hand to are Pardalotes, microbats and Squirrel gliders.Pardalotes (pic) are tiny birds that forage high in the eucalypt canopy and are also found in woodlands. They regularly are sighted in the Coal Point bird surveys. They forage for and eat insects, especially lerps which feed on tree sap and can cause dieback if their numbers get out of control. The Pardalotes play a key role in maintaining the health of the forest by controlling lerp numbers. Pardalotes naturally nest in tunnels they dig out of a bank but quite happily will nest in the right sized nestbox.
Microbats are tiny insect eating machines, with a body length of 11cm and wingspan of about 25cm some are so small they can fit in a matchbox. They live locally and if you watch the canopy of the gum trees on dusk you might see them flitting about in a rapid, jerky flight path, they’ve been seen around the streetlights at the top of Whitelocke St. Their favourite foods are moths, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, termites and they can polish off over 1200 mosquitoes in an hour. This makes them an asset around any home and for any garden.
Squirrel Glider nest boxes can also be built but are best for folk who live next to the West Ridge, Stansfield or Threlkeld Reserves
The Animals in our Bigger backyard page on the CPPA website has links to information sheets and booklets to help you build your own nest boxes if you feel the urge.
If you would like to order a nestbox please contact Suzanne from the Committee.
No comments:
Post a Comment