.......now thats a scarey thought if they can swallow them whole ......I assume you mash them up or something???Aviary Plants
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VR1Ton
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- Posts: 1889
- Joined: 18 Apr 2010, 18:07
- Location: Far Nth Coast NSW
- Location: Far Nth Coast NSW
Did a bit of looking around on Native Grasses and came up with a couple that stand out as being suitable for aviary life. These are cultivars so may take a bit of finding, but the natural forms should do just as well.
First is the Large or Common Tussock Grass, Poa labillardieri, grows to about 1m or just under, will take most soils, can be a little frost tender, will take full sun or part shade, does tend to brown off during winter. The cultivar 'Eskdale' tends to stay green year round is a little more tollerant of frosts, does need a bit of protection from the sun in the more humid areas, Brisbane north.
Swamp Foxtail, Pennisetum alopecurioides, (Native, not the South Afican species) grows to about 1m spread of about 2feet, again will take most soils & aspects, natural form can be a bit intrusive, culivars 'Cream Lea' and 'Purple Lea', have low seed viability so do not become intrusive and are drought and frost hardy. As the names suggest, the seed heads are cream or purple, there is also a black one.
The third species is Lavender Grass, Eragrostis elongata, this is a seed and nesting material grass, rather than a nesting site grass as the previous 2, grows to about 30cm, 1 foot, takes most sites and aspects, culivar 'Elvera' needs protection in colder areas. Worth a mention are the old regulars, Winter Grass Poa annua, Green/Giant Panic Panicum Maximum, and Johnson Grass Sorghum halepens, wich in some if not most areas are all considered weeds, but are still the staple of most green seed feed to our birds.
First is the Large or Common Tussock Grass, Poa labillardieri, grows to about 1m or just under, will take most soils, can be a little frost tender, will take full sun or part shade, does tend to brown off during winter. The cultivar 'Eskdale' tends to stay green year round is a little more tollerant of frosts, does need a bit of protection from the sun in the more humid areas, Brisbane north.
Swamp Foxtail, Pennisetum alopecurioides, (Native, not the South Afican species) grows to about 1m spread of about 2feet, again will take most soils & aspects, natural form can be a bit intrusive, culivars 'Cream Lea' and 'Purple Lea', have low seed viability so do not become intrusive and are drought and frost hardy. As the names suggest, the seed heads are cream or purple, there is also a black one.
The third species is Lavender Grass, Eragrostis elongata, this is a seed and nesting material grass, rather than a nesting site grass as the previous 2, grows to about 30cm, 1 foot, takes most sites and aspects, culivar 'Elvera' needs protection in colder areas. Worth a mention are the old regulars, Winter Grass Poa annua, Green/Giant Panic Panicum Maximum, and Johnson Grass Sorghum halepens, wich in some if not most areas are all considered weeds, but are still the staple of most green seed feed to our birds.