A male Olive-backed Sunbird on the Raintree behind our laundry room - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
My first impression about the Olive-backed Sunbird is how adorable this bird🥰 I had never thought to make a special project for them before until a year ago I decided to create their habitat in a small space that I have in front of my front door. What is the reason behind this project and what are the benefits I have received?
I know, for some people my act might be crazy, but I guess I have always executed crazy things since many years ago one example decided to leave my hometown to study at a university that was far away from my father's house. In this case, in a tiny space and want to make a comfortable environment for the tiny bird-like Sunbird; It is enough to make people laugh. Yeah, just go laud of laugh and just watch what I have done because I execute my plan to support Olive-backed Sunbird.😉 Doing something that no one wants to do and no one can do; that's typically me🌞
I recognized Olive-backed Sunbird a few years ago before we moved to this flat where we have been living for about 4 years. Back then I had always wondered what kind of tiny bird visited my "garden" and hang out for a while. Back then my cat, Ichi, was alive; she loved to sit tight in front of our window or front door to watch some birds that came to our dense "garden." From Dove, Starling, and Olive-backed Sunbird, those birds perched on my plants regularly and made my cat extremely happy!🤗 Talking about this makes me miss Ichi!😭 Thanks to Ichi, because of her I was concerned and wanted to know more about tiny birds, Olive-backed Sunbird.
After moving into a flat that we live in today, I bought Hibiscus plants, two actually; orange and yellow color. I had noticed the tiny bird, the Olive-backed Sunbird, had always come whenever the Hibiscus bloomed. It was the first time I found out that the Hibiscus flower is one of its bird diets. I also reckon that another flowering plant that I saw in my neighbor's garden back then was also its diet. The plant's name is Pedilanthus. Since then, I had tried to find this plant at a florist or flower shop nearby. Fortunately, it was hard to find this specific plant. Until someday, I found in the hypermarket; maybe in 2020 (I have forgotten the exact time). I was extremely joyous as this is a precious plant to support Sunbird's habitat.
Pedilanthus plant or Pink Bird Flower at Ichi's Garden - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Some people might think why I chose a kampoeng (village) flower such as Hibiscus. Hibiscus is a common plant in my hometown and does not get appreciation from some residents as it is no value and benefits for them. One example, some people that I know from my village, they bought plants that give them status social in the society, basically expensive ones which represent how wealthy they are. It sounds strange, isn't it? Meanwhile for me, choosing a plant or flower to create Sunbird's habitat to support their survival in the urban area aka bustling city. Therefore, I had looked for those Sunbird diets. Heliconia, Fire Cracker plant, I do not have them. But my guess is that planting more than 5 pots of Hibiscus is enough to make Sunbird have a feeding spot. Nowadays I have kept 8 pots of Hibiscus flowers, plus one is still growing. Yeah, a few months ago I cultivated Hibiscus from its stem. One of those blooms and more buds coming. Meanwhile, another one hasn't matured yet. Adding one pot of Pedilanthus, in total is 10 plants in Ichi's garden in order to create a Sunbird habitat.
I have been working on this project, project Sunbird since March 2021. Yeah, this is my own work, and I am happy doing this. The reason is to support the survival of this tiny bird in the urban area. It must be hard for specific wild birds to survive in the residential area because their diet is specific and the city expansion where many trees have been chopped down. Unlike pigeon or Javan Myna birds, they could eat anything they find. But nectarine-bird, Sunbird, need nectarine flower plants to keep them alive. In my view, our world would be great and beautiful if we coexist side by side with nature even though we live in a bustling city. My second reason is to preserve the Hibiscus flower. If some or many people do not appreciate this plant, sooner or later it might be extinct for sure. For this reason, I want to keep this beautiful flower around me and show how wonderful they are because it is a food source for Sunbird, a tiny cute bird.
Recently, my Hibiscus plants blooms one to another, and the Pink Bird flower (Pedilanthus) as well. Nowadays, after a year have been trying to grow Hibiscus, I can see the result in front of my eyes. For the first time, I saw Juvenile Olive-backed Sunbird yesterday. It means the breeding season this year succeeded! The success of Sunbird's next generation is also our responsibility too as we, humans, have taken soo much from nature, now it is our turn to help nature.
If you are following Ichi's Garden, it is easy for you to find out how easy to grow the Hibiscus plant as I wrote about it before. Easy to grow and low maintenance, moreover, support Sunbird's habitat, that is something worthy to planting this flower, isn't it? I mentioned in another article that the soil surface supports the growth of tiny snails that attracts other birds such as a sparrow. Correct, recently I saw and hear sparrows visit my "garden." Another time I also saw Swinehoe's white-eye bird come perching on my Hibiscus plant. Maybe they follow Sunbird to find food sources or perhaps feel comfortable with the dense vegetation that I create. Whatever the reason, the green environment attracts some living creatures, especially tiny wild birds.
Meanwhile for me, personally, I am happy to support tiny wildlife such as the Olive-backed Sunbird. When they brought their chick to my "garden" I was tears of joy. The same feeling when Yellow-vented Bulbul came with their chick. All of those mean that my project is a success. I wished I could introduce my project to the community if, only IF, the authority where I live approves "the community gardening project." Yeah, last year, one of the residents in our block proposed to create a gardening activity for the residents of our block as many of us love gardening. There is plenty of gardening project that has been held by residents around us in other blocks that occupy some of the empty space nearby their block. They grow vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, and many others. It sounds great activity for the residents to know each other, my guess. Sadly, not on our block. My only worry right now is that when I move to another place, who will support this tiny bird?
Besides, a beautiful home is one that is surrounded by flowers and plants. I used to live at a landed house with dense vegetation. Therefore, I can't live without flowers around me. In this case, looking through my window, it is a fresh green view (even though on small scale) complete with the wildlife one example Sunbird. Hearing their chirping daily makes me smile and relive my life pressure. Especially in the early morning, when I do watering my plants, the air is smell good and fresh because of the scent of the leaves. I think these are the benefits of working on the project Sunbird.
Supporting wildlife is something that we can start from home by doing gardening. Creating Sunbird's habitat motivates me to do more to help nature. Although project Sunbird is a little act yet this is a big hope for our future, yes? That is what I have believed, humans and nature coexist side by side and live together in order to create a great and beautiful world in the future.🌞✨
Note:
- Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Do not copy this article without permission
- Do not reuse these photographs anywhere else without permission
