The Birds of Summer

While many people are loving the high temperatures, the country's birds are already thirsty and overheated. So how can we help?

Even starlings enjoy a bath - Helen Bachari.

Kereru having a drink from David's birdbath in Raumati.JPG

We have bellbirds tuis fantails jumping in our birdbath daily - Yvonne Murray

Our bird bath and dog dish for the cats too. The cats also drink from the bird bath! Jill

paekakariki bird bath from Joe

It was so c-c-c-cold in Masterton this winter that the water in our bird bath froze many times. One morning I put my heavy pewter Daleks on the solid surface for a skate - David

A tui in Sandy's bird bath in Plimmerton

So with cats bird watching no birds used our bird bath but the bees did. We've added the rock so the bees don't drown. Judi

Lynnie's bird bath

None today yet but later on the wax eyes will line up on the manuka rail behind to wait their turn for a splash. Nicole.

We are in the process of moving house into my husbands deceased grandmothers house and we have inherited a birdbath! I thought it was very nana(ish) but we love being nana’s and watching the birds enjoy it - Sarah

Murray's bird bath

Even in reefton the birds find it hot - Grant

Here's a photo I took just now of a blackbird hen in our bird bath - Jane

Ally's bird bath

Thus is my Rick Rudd hand-built ceramic birdbath used by Tui and occasional Wood Pigeon - Tom

Listeners' birdbaths

By putting out fresh, clean water, says Robert Webb from the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre.

Put the water dish – just fresh water, not sugar water – away from direct sunlight.

"This time of year, if you start mixing sugar or sweeteners into the drink it will evaporate into the sunlight and leave a sugary mess behind. And the bees will get that and that can kill a whole beehive."

As well as plain water, tui love sliced grapes, oranges and bananas, he says.

"If you've got a tree somewhere you know the tuis are coming into, you can put either those little ties around the branch or panel pins on the branch. Hang the fruit on it and the tuis will absolutely love you for it."

Kiwi get extra thirsty in summer, too, so if you know you've got kiwi near your property put a shallow dish out, Robert says.

They also get hungry because the dry ground means worms are in short supply and will take extra risks to find food.

"The kiwi will eat 200 or 200 worms a day. So what they do, they start sneaking near houses and start eating cat food and things."

If you've got a trough on your property, big birds like hawks will drink from it but be careful they don't get stuck, Robert says.

Lay a board down into the water against the side that they can climb up as a plank.

If you see a duck or gull struggling to stand or hold ts head up, it may have botulism from drinking stagnant water, he says.

"If people see birds wobbling around and they can get them to a veterinary clinic or somewhere where they help birds like we do. It's a very easy treatment … You won't catch anything from them. Just by picking them up and getting them to someone that can help that can be remedied in a couple of days and they can be set free again."

The Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre has the only kiwi people can see and touch during the day and welcomes visitors, Robert says.