The Case for Exotics
Exploring native birds - and introduced plants - at Queens Park
This is the sixth post in my series inspired by the species featured in my
2024 calendar, Wildlife of East Otago.
Korimako, or bellbirds (anthornis melanura) are elegant greenish-brown birds, slightly smaller than a blackbird, with a harmonic bell-like song. I wrote about them briefly in Our Backyard Birds. They’re inspiring today’s post which is coming to you (very late!) from a bit further south than usual - instead of my own garden, we’ll be visiting the gardens at Queens Park in Invercargill.
“Ka rite ki te kopara e ko nei i te ata”
— like the bellbird singing in the morning1
It’s a large park, in the middle of the uber-urban Invercargill, with a mix of native and exotic plants - mostly exotic. At this time of year it’s looking colourful with the magnolia in full bloom, the cherries blossoming, and the kōwhai with their bold yellow flowers.
What amazed me was the number of native birds making themselves at home in the park: korimako, kererū, tauhou, and tūī were everywhere. I even saw some tūī collecting lichen, presumably for its nest.
It got me thinking about something a friend mentioned recently - that introduced plants can have a place in helping our native wildlife. It also brought to mind an article by Jacqui Knight in winter’s Moths & Butterflies NZ magazine about the (non-weedy varieties) of buddleia as nectar sources for pūrerehua (butterflies).
We tend to focus on native plants for native animals - which makes sense as they evolved alongside each other, creating relationships and inter-dependencies over time. For Aotearoa in particular, a lot of our native species are also endemic, so focusing on native flora and fauna in our gardens can help us keep them from going extinct. Planting native species is definitely important!
However, walking beneath the cherry trees and pines at Queens Park in the evening we heard the most beautiful korimako birdsong, calling out to each other through dusk. I’ve never heard so many at one time before! Earlier in the day, I saw several tūī swooping from tree to tree, and chasing each other around.
Using a mix of native and exotic plants can also extend the seasons of fruit and flower for our garden friends. Butterflies in particular benefit from some of the many introduced flowers that we have - especially the yarrow and dandelion “weeds”.
Queens Park was a fantastic example of the role introduced plants have in supporting our native biodiversity. This week I hope you get a chance to look out at your spring (or autumn!) garden and see the mix of flora & fauna, endemic & exotic, that enjoy your outdoor spaces.
Happy spring!
Zenobia
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https://www.nzbirds.com/birds/korimako.html