Sydney installs nesting boxes to protect wildlife

SYDNEY: Authorities in Sydney have installed more than 100 nesting boxes in parks and reserves, offering shelter and protection to native wildlife and other animals, according to an official statement released on Monday.

The latest stage of the program has seen 62 boxes placed in Hyde Park, Victoria Park, Prince Alfred Park, Harmony Park, Orphan School Creek and Kimberley Grove Reserve, reports Xinhua news agency.

The wooden boxes were installed high in suitable trees with a wire that expands as the tree grows to protect the trunks.

These add to the 43 that have been in Sydney Park, Federal Park, and Blackwattle Bay since March last year.

"Our parks are not only the city's lungs, but they're also some of the last areas of habitat for native species. We want to attract more animals to Sydney's city, and make sure the species that are here are nurtured and cared for," said Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

The nesting boxes vary in size to accommodate a diverse range of wildlife, including multiple species of birds, such as yellow-tailed black cockatoos, powerful, barn and boobook owls, red-rumped parrots, sacred kingfishers, spotted pardalotes, dollarbirds, and ducks.

Set also to provide potential resting places for microbats, bar-sided skinks, and other native vertebrae fauna including possums as well as birdlife, the nesting boxes will be inspected periodically to examine how they are being used and which species are using them.