What’s the course about:
You’ll learn from bird experts and garden design gurus while exploring the essential features of a habitat garden and discovering what birds need to thrive.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, by the end of the course you’ll be equipped to design, establish and maintain a habitat garden to attract and support a diverse array of local birds, as we guide you through each step of the way.
So, get ready to spread your wings – your neighbourhood birds will thank you! And we can’t wait to see the wonderful habitats you create.
Course Overview
Course Duration: This course will take about 4 hours to complete, but you should allow extra time to: dive into all the extra resources we provide; research your property, local birds and plants; create your garden plan; and put it into action – to establish your habitat garden. After you’ve finished the course, you’re free to revisit it as often as you need while you plant out your habitat garden.
Features of the course:
- 6 videos
- 30 written lessons
- Expert knowledge from habitat garden design professionals and ornithologists
- Bird and plant profiles
- Ask questions in the community forum
- Local resources and nursery directory
- Video tour of a micro habitat garden in the middle of Melbourne
- Loads of extra resources to inspire and help you on your way
- Troubleshooting info
Topics covered:
- Why is habitat gardening important?
- What birds need to thrive
- Features of a bird habitat garden
- Food and habitat preferences
- Find out who’s visiting your garden
- Bird ID for beginners
- Explore your local birds
- Getting to know your space
- Your climate zone and soil
- How to sketch your growing space and decide what goes where
- Preparing garden beds
- How to plant native plants
- Ongoing garden care (including tree care & maintaining a bird bath)
- Dealing with wildlife and the impact of pets
- Caring for sick or injured wildlife
- Wildlife safe pest control
- Nest boxes
- Other ways to support birds
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
- Birders who want to support birds at home, even if they don’t know much about gardening.
- Gardeners of all experience levels who wish to support birds.
- Anyone who loves Australian native plants but is unsure which ones to plant.
- Anyone who wants to encourage native birds to their garden.
- Renters and homeowners.
- People with any room to grow (even if it’s a balcony with a couple of pots).
- Everyone in Australia, however, please note that many of the plant examples are based in south-eastern Australia. We encourage you to research plants and garden solutions that will work best for your unique situation.
Who teaches the course?
Our presenters – Emmaline Bowman from STEM Landscape Architecture & Design and Mars Reid from Bili Nursery & Landcare – collaborated to develop the course curriculum with BirdLife Australia’s team of researchers.
How much does the course cost?
The course is free, but we welcome a donation to BirdLife Australia to help us continue to create resources like this.
I’m based in another country, can I still take this course?
No. This course is specifically designed to focus on the unique birds and gardening conditions in Australia.
Can I get personalised help with my garden plan?
Direct one-on-one advice isn’t available, but the community forum is a great place to share your ideas and questions with peers. The course also provides guidance on connecting with local experts and resources to help you create a bird-friendly garden in your area.
How do I access the course?
The course is online, via the BirdLife Australia Learning Hub, which you can access with a MyBirdLife login. If you don’t have one, it’s easy to set one up (see below).
Can I do the course on my mobile or tablet?
Yes.
Do I get a certificate of completion at the end?
Yes!
Register for this course
Log in to MyBirdLife or create a My BirdLife account to register for this course.
What happens next?
Once you’ve completed the form, you will be added to our waiting list for the course. We will contact you as soon as a spot becomes available.