Will they visit?: Mardo will visit home gardens located near local reserves, parks, or bushland
Natural Distribution: Widespread and common throughout the South West and Perth region.
Mardo – (CC)Vik Dunis. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Mardo – Stickybeak. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia License (Atlas of Living Australia)
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Hollows in large trees or constructed nestboxes
Diet: Fruit, nectar, invertebrates and small animals
Water: Will use a small dish or accessible bird bath
ReWild Benefit: Control pest populations
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Mardo build their spherical nests within the hollows of large trees or fallen logs. Gardens with large trees and a dense shrubbery will provide addition shelter and safety from other predators.
Novel Shelter
Below is a nestbox template for Mardo. Ideally, install the box on a mature tree close to the main trunk or a thick horizontal limb. Before you build, consider:
Nest-boxes are a long-term commitment and need maintenance and repair over time.
Chipboard is okay, but degrade after a year of use. Untreated hardier woods (i.e. Jarrah) are less prone to attack by fungi, bacteria, and microorganisms.
Keep away from treated timber as this can emit fumes toxic to wildlife and their young.
Avoid using metal wire inside a box. A wooden ladder on the inside of the nest-box is much more suitable or grooved timber will work well.
Maintenance is key to keeping wildlife safe. Last thing you want is a side panel falling off with an animal or its young still living inside.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Planting a variety of native shrubs and trees will attract a variety of prey for local mardo. Insects are rich in protein, and a significant part of their diet. Many species of plants such as Grevilleas and Paperbarks can attract many different invertebrates. A good layer of mulch will provide additional foraging habitat.
Providing sources of water
Mardo are known to visit fresh water if available. Any water provision requires and easy exit (such a flat rock) if a mardo were to fall in.
ReWild Benefits
Mardo are skillful predators and control pests (such as mice) and benefit our neighbourhoods as we work to drive a healthy environment for our community. If you see a mardo foraging in your garden, you can record your sighting on Atlas of Living Australia!
