Story: How Birds Help Your Garden
Episode: 2
Presenter: Simon Holloway
Air Date: 14 March 2026

Simon visits a bird sanctuary to discover the often-overlooked role birds play in pollination and keeping our ecosystems healthy.

• While bees are often the first pollinators people think of, birds also play a vital and often underappreciated role in the pollination of many plants.
• Unlike European honey bees, which are introduced to Australia and have relatively short flight ranges, birds can travel long distances, helping spread pollen across wider areas.
• This long-distance movement improves genetic diversity in plants, strengthening ecosystems and helping maintain resilient gardens and landscapes.
• Birds often select flowers visually rather than by fragrance or ultraviolet patterns, meaning they can pollinate different plant species to those targeted by insects.
• Simon visits the Feathered Friends Sanctuary in Bargo to learn more about the importance of birds in our ecosystem and how gardeners can encourage more birdlife at home.
• Creating bird-friendly gardens with suitable plants, habitat and water sources can support these important pollinators and increase biodiversity.
• By recognising the role of both bees and birds in pollination, gardeners can better appreciate the complex web of life that supports healthy gardens and natural environments.