The quickest and most effective way to encourage birds into your garden is to put food out for them. Whatever your reason for wanting to do this, whether it be because you enjoy birdwatching and would like to observe them and their intriguing behaviours more closely, or perhaps you are looking for a way to lend a helping hand during the colder winter months when food is harder to come by, providing them with a variety of nutritional food all year round will encourage them to flock your way!
General advice on where to start with feeding birds in your garden
With so much conflicting information online and so many different types of bird food available, it can be overwhelming trying to digest it all. You can start narrowing down your options to achieve the quickest results by asking yourself the below two questions:
- What type of birds live in your area? Do some research or keep an eye out and make a note of the species you see passing through your garden.
- What kind of birds do you want to encourage into your garden? Are you hoping to attract specific birds, such as blue tits, robins or woodpeckers?
Once you have answered the above and you’re more aware of which birds you’re likely to encounter, you can start conducting research into what types of food your feathered friends like best and would provide them with the most nutritional benefits to suit their individual needs.
What to feed garden birds
Different birds are attracted to different foods and, just like us humans, they need a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates. After the basics have been understood, the single most important thing to ensure is that you buy good quality supplementary bird food from a reputable supplier. Cheap seed mixes are often bulked out with wheat and cereals - grains that are favoured by pigeons or sparrows.
If you’re looking for a good all-around option that will suit most birds’ tastes, black sunflower seeds, hearts and niger (sometimes spelt as nyjer/nyger or sold as ‘thistle’ seed) are good staples because they are easy to eat and rich in oil. Husk-free seed mixes are also a popular choice because they allow all birds to feed from your station (a lot of birds can’t crack husks). What’s more, the lack of husks means there is no unsightly mess left on the ground to clear up. Suet (fat) is another fantastic option. Suet comes as pellets, blocks or balls and is best offered during the winter months thanks to its high fat content which provides birds with a vital source of energy. Live food such as mealworms is an excellent choice as many birds’ diets primarily consist of insects, worms, ants and more so this mimics their natural food preference.
Peanuts are enjoyed by birds because they are high in oils and proteins. However, peanuts have a high likelihood of harbouring aflatoxins that can be deadly to birds, so make sure you keep them cool and dry and ensure they are used up fairly quickly.
If you’re hoping to attract a specific bird to your garden, you may need to be a bit more selective with what you offer. For example, put out mealworms toattract robins and thrushes, fatballs and peanuts for starling, tits and woodpeckers and smaller seeds like niger for goldfinch, siskin and redpoll.
What not to feed garden birds
Although no one rule applies to all, there are a few foods that you should never put out for birds, either because they will choke on them or they will cause them to become unwell.
- Salted foods - they dehydrate birds.
- Loose peanuts - these are one of the primary choking hazards for birds, especially chicks. Make sure you feed peanuts in rigid mesh feeders that will not allow birds to take whole peanuts at a time, instead making them nibble the nut, breaking it into sizeable, digestible and safe chunks.
- Bread - it is a common misconception that birds (particularly ducks) enjoy eating bread. Although technically unharmful, bread lacks any real nutrition and instead just fills birds up, thus potentially causing them to become unwell due to a lack of nutrients. Bread also goes mouldy quickly which can be harmful.
- Human food/Table scraps - a lot of table scraps are not appropriate for birds to consume and will often be left to fester, becoming rancid quickly, especially in the heat. What’s more, table scraps will attract unwanted visitors such as cats, squirrels, pigeons, mice or rats.
When should you feed garden birds?
Generally, people only start to think about feeding wild birds as winter approaches - the plummeting temperatures are more often than not the stark reminder that their natural food sources, such as seeds, berries and insects are becoming scarcer by the day and therefore our feathered friends need a little more help at this time of year to keep their tummies full.
Although it is arguably most essential to provide food in winter, it is important not to forget to make sure that food is available in spring, summer and autumn too. This is because birds have contrasting needs throughout the year. Therefore, by feeding them all year round, you’re giving them the best chance of surviving and thriving.
What to feed birds in spring Birds are always grateful to see in the spring after a long, cold winter. Spring marks the commenment of the nesting season and birds are preparing to breed. Extra food is gratefully accepted not only to sustain themselves but also their young.
To help provide birds with all of their nutritional needs, choose high energy food sources such as peanuts, fruit or mealworms.
What to feed birds in summer
It is often thought that birds do not need to be fed during the summer. Some believe it is important to restrict food to force baby birds into learning how to find naturally occurring foods. Whilst it is true that there is a lot more natural food available during these months as flowers set seed and berries ripen, other issues may occur such as high temperatures causing the ground to become dry which can make it harder for birds to find food. Therefore, any extra food will further contribute to helping birds survive. Choose high protein, nutrient-dense foods and plenty of fruit which will help them to stay hydrated. What not to feed birds in summer Hot weather is the perfect condition for mould - be vigilant not to offer birds fatty foods or suet in warmer weather as they can quickly go off and turn rancid. Do not offer anything that will melt in the sun - peanut butter should be avoided at all costs as it melts too quickly and often sticks to birds’ feathers, causing damage their precious plumage.
What to feed birds in autumn
Although natural food sources are often still bountiful in the early autumn months, providing food in autumn helps prepare birds for winter. What’s more, if you regularly maintain a well-stocked feeder, local birds will recognise this as a reliable source of food and will reward you for your generous offerings by returning in the winter, allowing you to continue birdwatching at the end of the year when most other gardens will be empty.
Energy-rich foods will be stored as fat which will in turn help to keep them warm as the colder months creep in. You can choose from a long list of fatty, calorie-rich foods, such as sunflower heart seed or suet balls. It is also important to provide food in atumn for migratory birds who will need lots of energy for their travel to warmer climates.
What to feed birds in winter
Survival for birds is most challenging during the cold winter months, especially for smaller species who quickly lose heat to their surroundings and thus must replace the energy lost by stocking up on lots of food. Once the colder temperatures kick in, natural food sources will deplete quickly because the ground is too hard, meaning birds can’t dig for worms or caterpillars. All of these factors combined with short days with limited daylight during which birds usually forage can cause them to become very vulnerble to the environment around them.
Your feathered friends will appreciate a full spread of high-energy and high fat foods to keep them warm during the freezing nights, such as sunflower seeds that are rich in protein and unsaturated fats, fat balls, nyjer seeds and peanuts.
REMEMBER! Providing water is equally as important as providing food. Birds need access to a fresh supply of water to drink from to counterbalance their mostly dry diet. This can be achieved by installing a birdbath or even filling a shallow dish raised off the ground. To avoid the water freezing in winter, place a small plastic ball on the surface - the movement in the wind will prevent it from freezing.
Where to feed garden birds
It’s not only the types of food that birds are fussy about, but also where they’re fed. For best results, set up a couple of different feeding areas for the birds in your garden. The main benefit of doing this is that it will reduce overcrowding and competition. It is also important to understand that birds will only stop to feed if they feel it is safe to do so, therefore, choosing appropriate locations is essential. It is recommended to position feeders high enough so that they are out of reach of ground predators like cats. They should be located close to cover so that birds can quickly dart and hide from aerial predators if necessary, but far enough away from large trees and shrubs that animals like cats could hide behind or use as perches, waiting for an opportunity to pounce. It may take you a few tries until you find the optimal position for feeders in your garden. If you don’t get any visitors, simply try a new location. A benefit of moving feeders around from time to time is that, firstly, it may prevent ambush predators becoming too familiar with the location of unwary prey and secondly, you won’t get an unsightly build up of debris or droppings underneath.
How to keep bird feeders clean
Many birds die annually due to the transmission of diseases. If you are serious about feeding birds in your garden, you must ensure that you regularly clean your feeders. Feeding stations may become unhygienic quickly due to different species of birds that wouldn’t usually cross paths congregating to feed, increasing the risk of disease transmission with infectious material, such as saliva and droppings. It is essential to brush off any debris every time you put out fresh food and scrub feeders with a mild disinfectant and hot, soapy water weekly, rinsing and leaving to dry fully before re-filling. It is also a good idea to rotate feeders around the garden to ensure they’re not in constant use and to avoid a build up of food waste. Lastly, avoid overfilling feeders by emptying them every few days. Do not allow old food to accumulate.
