Wildbird
Why feed wild birds?
With the decline of natural habitats and food sources, birds are increasingly visiting gardens to nest and gain essential nutrition. So whether you have a large, rural garden or a small back yard, we can all help our resident bird species by providing food, water and shelter. This leaflet provides information on all aspects of wild bird care, from feeding tips to ideas on how you can encourage nesting in your garden. Not only will this help the birds, but it is great fun too!
What should you feed them?
You can feed wild birds all kinds of food all year round, but certain foods are preferred by different species. Here are some tips on what kind of foods are suitable and overleaf there is a chart designed to help you choose which food is most appropriate for which birds.
- Peanuts attract many birds due to their high fat content. Whole, crushed or grated peanuts are a popular choice. However, certain types can be dangerous due to a high level of natural toxins. So never use salted, roasted or any type of peanut not intended for birds. Avoid using whole peanuts during the breeding season.
- Seed provides birds with balanced nutrition and is available in a wide range of mixtures; it can be fed via feeders, on the table or from the ground. Nyjer seed is an absolute favourite for siskins and goldfinches. These small, black seeds have high oil content and require a special feeder, which can be found in our range. Many garden visitors also enjoy sunflower seeds. Birds will not eat the husks, preferring the heart, so buying pre-husked sunflower hearts can prevent a scattering of husks around the birdtable.
- Fat/Suet treats mainly consist of lard, incorporating many extra ingredients such as seeds, peanuts or even insects, creating a tasty treat enjoyed by a wide range of garden birds. These can provide an excellent source of energy in the winter.
There are also plenty of home-made options, for example kitchen scraps: mild cheese, potatoes, pastry and cooked rice are all suitable. Old fruit, past its best for us, will be ideal for garden birds both on the table and on the ground. Bread is also a favourite and despite its low nutritional
value is fine providing it is kept moist.
When should you feed them?
As the seasons change, so do the visitors to your garden, as well as the food they require. It is a common misconception that we need only feed the birds in winter. However, birds quickly become dependant on the food we provide so it is best to feed all year round. Here is a guide to feeding throughout the year:
Spring:
This is a critical time for birds as they are busy rearing their young. Fledglings need a full diet to ensure they build up the strength they need to fly the nest and you can help them by filling your feeding stations with live feed. Mealworms are a great example and will come as welcome relief
to busy adults, especially in cold and wet periods where insects may be scarce; you can buy live or dried mealworms. You can continue to feed adults peanuts and seed during this time, but it is a good idea to avoid using full peanuts as they could cause fledglings to choke; peanut granules are a great alternative.
Summer:
While fledglings prepare for independence in early summer, they still rely on their parents for insects. So maintaining a supply of live food is important in the early summer months. A supply of a hi-energy seed is a good idea for adults during a particularly dry summer. Don’t forget that it is as important to supply peanuts and seed regularly throughout the summer as it is in the winter. Despite the availability of food elsewhere, your local birds may rely on you. Towards the end of summer the presence of birds in our gardens may diminish significantly and this is simply because there is a natural abundance of food at this time and they rely less on our offerings. One thing to remember however is to maintain a clean water supply; birds require water for drinking, washing and cooling off, especially in times of drought or heat.
Autumn:
As the winter weather approaches and natural food diminishes, birds will begin to return to feeding stations. Many of the summer visitors are preparing for migration to warmer climes and those birds who like to spend the winter here, such as thrushes and finches, begin to arrive in force. It is now, as the winter chill arrives, that birds will begin to rely on the food you provide. Peanuts and seed feeders will be most welcomed by tits and finches, and the ground-feeding birds such as dunnocks, collared doves and chaffinches will gratefully receive an area of lawn sprinkled with seed. Migrating birds will require a clean birdbath at this time, as a clean and healthy plumage is essential before a long journey south.
Winter:
Natural sources of food become scarce in the winter months so please remember to maintain regular feeding patterns. Peanut and seed hanging feeders will be a great success. Keep an area of lawn free for seed too, a ground feeder can be a useful way to keep seed off snowy ground. Winter is an ideal time to use suet and fat feeders, providing birds with extra body weight to survive the low temperatures. Water remains essential during the winter and a clean birdbath should be kept full. Melting ice with warm water is the best way to clear ice from a well-used bath; do not use any additives to keep ice at bay.
How should you feed them?
There are many different ways to feed the birds. Bird tables are the most common, although there are many different designs of feeding station even if you don’t have a garden:
Bird Tables:
Make sure you position your table well and you will have endless visitors all year round. An ideal spot is in a sheltered and quiet area of the garden, ensuring that there is at least a metre between it and any trees or shrubbery, as cats and squirrels are notorious intruders.
Hanging bird feeders:
There are many designs of feeders specific to types of food and purpose:
- Peanut feeders have a wide metal mesh to allow birds to extract pieces of nut without damaging their beaks and without allowing whole nuts to be removed which could cause choking.
- Seed feeders have a transparent plastic tube intersected by small holes to allow access to the seed without it spilling out.
- Nyjer feeders are very similar but the access holes are smaller again to accommodate the tiny seeds.
- Window feeders attach straight on to the glass, making them a perfect solution for birdwatchers without gardens.
- See our range for many different ways to feed fat treats; you can hang them, feed from the table or even spread straight into the cracks of trees. The versatility of this treat means they can be fed from almost anywhere.
Be sure to be patient when starting out with a new feeder as birds will take time to get used to it. It may take 2 to 3 weeks for birds to start using your feeder regularly, depending on the time of year. It is more likely that birds will take to it during cold weather when other sources of food are scarce, so late autumn/winter is probably the best time to introduce new feeders.
Hygiene
It is essential when feeding the birds to maintain a high level of hygiene. Feeders and tables must be cleaned regularly with a suitable disinfectant; diseases can spread quickly from a dirty bird table. You must also ensure that you do not leave old food around your feeding stations. Any food uneaten after 10 days should be disposed of and during mild, damp weather peanuts should not be left for more than a week. It is equally important to keep a clean birdbath and a daily clean out is necessary, particularly in the summer months.
Nesting
Providing nest boxes is a great way to encourage birds to nest in your garden; robins, sparrows and tits are particularly responsive to nest boxes and will prove a joy to watch. Follow these guidelines to create an ideal home for a nesting pair.
- The best place to position a next box is about 2 to 5 metres up, on a tree or wall, clear of any access by curious intruders. The position should preferably be North East facing as this ensures it is well sheltered from strong rain, wind and sunlight. Any extremes of weather can hinder the wellbeing of the birds.
- Different styles of box attract different birds: Tits will favour the nest box with a small hole at the front, a perch is not necessary as this can just attract predatory birds. Robins prefer an open fronted nest box situated lower down amongst vegetation.
- Help nesting birds to make a cosy home by leaving out pet hair; birds find it an ideal nest liner.
By following the advice outlined in this leaflet you can encourage a great number of birds into your garden, helping them to survive year after year. You must remember however, that many of the breeds mentioned will not be present all year round; birds will inhabit areas which most suit their feeding habits and will move on if their preferred food source is in abundance elsewhere. The seasons dictate the patterns of natural food sources and by providing a full and varied feeding ground the birds will make our gardens a regular part of their lives.
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