Cut Down a Dead Tree, Lose the Birds

A dead tree provides perches, insect food and, eventually, nesting hollows that can take a century or more to form. Removing one takes away habitat that no replacement planting will provide within a human lifetime. Here is what I learned from watching a single dead tree — and from losing another.

A Sparrowhawk perched and surveying its surroundings, Germany

I woke that morning to a familiar sound, one that never fails to bring sadness to my day: another tree being cut down.

I went outside and followed the sound to the neighbour’s property around the corner. I was surprised, knowing how much he loved nature. When I looked more closely, I saw that a dead tree, about ten metres tall, was being removed.

For many bird species, that tree had been a meeting place, a resting place and an observation point. Yet, despite his love of nature and the garden he had created to attract birds, the neighbour had apparently never recognised the vital role it played.

The role a dead tree plays in supporting wildlife is easy to overlook because, at first sight, it can appear lifeless. In reality, however, such trees can be among the most valuable features for local birdlife.

I first learned this during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when I spent many hours at home in Australia observing a single dead tree just beyond my backyard fence.

A Cockatoo on a dead tree, Australia

At first, the tree seemed unremarkable, even unsettling. It was little more than a tall, bare trunk without leaves or colour. It appeared to offer nothing.

Then I began to watch it more closely.

The Tree in My Backyard

Cockatoos and Galahs gathered on its upper branches, tearing at the bark and calling across the neighbourhood. Red-rumped Parrots flashed past, landing briefly before disappearing again. Starlings took over the lower branches, filling the tree with restless noise.

A Galah and a Red-rumped Parrot nest in the same dead tree, Australia.

Then there were the quieter visitors. A Dollarbird would arrive and settle on one of the exposed branches, perfectly still. During cicada season, it would remain there from morning until last light, occasionally launching into the air to catch cicadas in flight, then returning to the same perch.

A Dollarbird launching from a dead branch to catch flying insects, Australia

At night, a Southern Boobook took over. Where the day had been loud and restless, the night echoed with its repeated boo-book calls. The same tree, two completely different worlds.

The more I observed, the more patterns emerged: which species visited, when they arrived, how they used the tree and how they interacted with one another. What had first appeared lifeless revealed itself to be a dynamic, thriving ecosystem.

And as a photographer, I found that the tree offered a rare opportunity. I did not need to go looking for wildlife. The birds returned to the same place again and again. All I had to do was wait.

A Dead Tree Is Not What It Seems

Most people walk past a dead tree and see nothing: no leaves, no colour, no movement. It appears finished, little more than a remnant to be removed.

But that impression is misleading.

What appears lifeless is often one of the most biologically active habitats in the local environment. Insects move beneath the bark, while beetles, insect larvae and other invertebrates gather in the weathered wood. These creatures, in turn, attract predators such as birds, reptiles and other insects.

Over time, hollows form in the wood, providing nesting, roosting and shelter sites. This is a slow process. Hollows large enough for small birds may take many decades to develop, while those used by owls and other larger species can take a century or more. The same broad pattern can be seen whether the tree is a eucalypt in Australia or an oak in Europe. What appears empty is, in reality, a structure supporting a complex web of life.

A Lace Monitor lizard climbing a dead tree in search of nests, Australia.

Once You See It, You See It Everywhere

That single tree changed the way I understood the ecological role of dead trees. I soon realised that this role was not unique to Australia. Across the world, dead trees provide food, shelter, nesting sites and lookout points for local wildlife.

After moving to Europe, I began noticing similar dead trees in parks, along streets, in woodlands and even in small suburban spaces. The species were different, but the patterns were remarkably similar. Trees I might once have passed without a second glance revealed themselves to be alive with activity.

Although many species use them, male Blackbirds are often the most noticeable visitors from late winter onwards. They choose the highest exposed branch, visible from every direction, and sing to proclaim their territory to anyone within earshot.

A male Blackbird surveying its territory, Germany

If You Have No Dead Tree

If you do not have a dead tree, the good news is that you do not need a whole one. Even a standing section of deadwood can be valuable. What matters are the features it provides: exposed perches, rough bark and, over time, hollows.

When pruning a living tree, people often remove the dead branches first. However, if a branch poses no safety risk and is not positioned above people, buildings or other vulnerable areas, consider leaving it in place. A bare limb rising above the canopy can provide the kind of open perch birds use for hunting, resting and calling.

You can also install a salvaged trunk upright as a habitat pole. It must be securely anchored and positioned where it cannot endanger people, buildings or other structures. The appropriate installation method will depend on the trunk’s size, the soil and local conditions, so professional advice may be necessary.

Durable timber species generally remain useful for longer. Where possible, choose a trunk with existing hollows or signs of insect activity, and retain its rough bark, as smooth, stripped timber offers far less value to wildlife. Habitat poles are often used by councils and land managers in areas where natural hollows have been lost.

Stack whatever remains. Timber that cannot be stood upright can be arranged in a shaded corner. A log pile may not provide an exposed perch, but it offers valuable complementary habitat by supporting fungi, beetles, larvae and other invertebrates. These organisms help decompose the wood and provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Choose the location carefully. Keep standing deadwood well clear of the house, paths and anything else that could be damaged if it eventually falls. As a general rule, place it at least its own height away from people, buildings and other vulnerable structures, although a greater distance may be needed depending on its condition, lean and exposure.

Check the regulations. Before retaining, moving or installing deadwood, check the regulations that apply in your area. Local councils, land managers or environmental authorities may have rules concerning protected trees, pruning, tree removal, planning approval and the installation of structures. Requirements vary, so obtain any necessary permission and make sure the work complies with local safety and conservation regulations.

A Kookaburra resting on a dead branch, Australia

Before You Remove a Dead Tree

The tree near my home in Australia is still standing.

Over time, the local council installed nesting boxes and bat boxes, expanding the habitat the tree already provided naturally. It is now protected and recognised as valuable habitat, but in truth, it always was.

Not all dead trees receive the same protection. The tree around the corner in Germany is now a stump. I had watched Blackbirds sing from its highest branch, Turtle Doves settle on its bare limbs in the afternoon, and Greenfinches work their way through the upper crown. By now, it is probably firewood.

It has only been a few days. I do not yet know where the birds have gone, and that is the difficulty. The loss will not announce itself. By the time anyone notices, no one will connect it to a tree that is no longer there.

Not every dead tree can be left standing, but many can be reduced to a safe height by an arborist and retained as habitat poles rather than removed entirely. So, the next time you consider removing a dead tree, pause and look again. What seems finished may already be supporting more local birdlife than any replacement could provide for many years.

A Hawfinch perched on a dead branch, Germany

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Common Questions About Dead Trees and Birds

How long does it take for a tree hollow to form?

Longer than most people expect. Hollows large enough for a small bird rarely appear in a tree much under fifty years old, and those used by owls and larger species take considerably longer. The pattern holds in eucalypts and European hardwoods alike. A hollow lost today cannot be replaced within a human lifetime.

Which birds use dead trees?

Far more than you would guess. Dead trees provide exposed perches for hunting and singing, insect food beneath the bark, and nesting hollows. In Australia I watched cockatoos, galahs, parrots, starlings, a dollarbird and a boobook owl use a single dead tree. In Germany, blackbirds, turtle doves, greenfinches, woodpeckers, falcons, used another.

Is it safe to leave a dead tree standing?

It depends on its condition and position. Keep standing deadwood at least its own height away from people, buildings and paths, and further if it leans or is exposed. Where a tree poses a risk, an arborist can often reduce it to a safe height and retain it as a habitat pole rather than removing it entirely.

What is a habitat pole?

A standing section of trunk, either a reduced dead tree or a salvaged trunk installed upright, retained specifically as wildlife habitat. It provides the perches, rough bark and eventual hollows that birds and insects use. Councils and land managers use them in areas where natural hollows have been lost.

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A version of this article first appeared in Bird Growers Magazine, Australia.

All photos in this post were taken by me. No AI was used.