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Many people
like to supplement their birds' diet with extra
food - especially in the winter. This can be a
real life saver in harsh weather. What benefits
the birds also benefits the human inhabitants of
the house, by the addition of beautiful wild
creatures and hours of entertainment. There is
also an important knock-on effect for the
organic gardener - birds will get used to
searching for food in your garden and will
search for greenfly, caterpillars and snails
during the rest of the year.
The main questions that are asked about feeding
are:
When?
Research
suggests that October is the one month of
the year when nature provides sufficient
food and gardens become quieter. The need
for supplementing feeding gains importance
from November through the winter period to
early April when the birds disperse to their
breeding grounds. From early May feeding
activity intensifies, increasing steadily to
the end of September. Feeding activity in
our gardens will vary with the availability
of natural food supplies and the weather.
When to feed has been a continuous question
for a long time, but due to the above facts
the answer is all
year round. The BTO (British Trust of
Ornithology) recommends all year round
feeding. Mortality rates for Greenfinch
peak in April/May when traditionally people
stop feeding. Provision of supplementary
food will allow adult birds to give all the
natural foods they can catch to their young.
Different species may visit at different
times of the year. This coincides either
with the natural availability of food or
adverse weather i.e. cold and snowy or hot
and dry. If the appropriate foods are
available then the birds will make use of
them when they need to.
Where?
Different
species of birds have different feeding
habits. Hanging food is ideal for members of
the tit family, so using a peanut dispenser,
of which there are numerous designs, is
fine. Site it high enough up so that cats
can't get at it. A good idea is to put it
near to roses or other shrubs where you may
have trouble with greenfly or caterpillars -
they will be found too! If the food is too
exposed, the birds may be in danger from
sparrowhawks, so it is best to provide cover
nearby, like trees or hedges. Don't site the
food near nest boxes, as the busy atmosphere
will put the birds off nesting. Bird tables
are suited to most types of bird and have
the benefit of being off the ground so other
foraging animals like animals like mice and
rats can't get at it. A roof to the bird
table helps to keep rain off but is not
essential. Don't be tempted by 'the rustic
look' - this makes it very easy for a cat to
climb, and birds rarely have success if they
nest in one of those quaint bird tables that
have a nest box attached - they are just too
busy. Many birds prefer to eat on the
ground, so put the food on the lawn - well
away from shrubs which can be hiding a cat.
Don't put too much out at once - if it's
still there when night comes, the rodent
population will flourish! If you have old
trees, you can smear fats and fix nuts into
crevices in the trunk, which nuthatches,
treecreepers and woodpeckers adore. Fresh
water should be provided at all times,
in a shallow container so birds can drink
and bath without the danger of drowning. If
the bird bath is on the ground or in the
form of a pond, then other animals, such as
hedgehogs will use it and it is important to
have sloping sides so that animals can get
in and out.
What?
High energy
foods, various nuts and seeds. Soaked bread
(white or brown) - dry bread swells in the
stomach. Left overs, e.g. cake, cooked rice
etc, are fine, but no spicy or salty foods,
or 'gone off' foods. Apples, cut in half and
put on a table or the ground are excellent
for blackbirds and robins.
Quick
Reference Wild Bird Feeding Guide
| |
Mixes |
Peanuts |
Sunflower |
Niger |
Fatballs |
|
Blackbird |
√ |
|
|
|
√ |
|
Blue Tit |
|
√ |
√ |
|
√ |
|
Chaffinch |
√ |
|
√ |
|
|
|
Coal Tit |
|
√ |
√ |
|
|
|
Dunnock |
|
√ |
|
|
√ |
|
Great Tit |
|
√ |
√ |
|
√ |
|
Greenfinch |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
Robin |
√ |
|
|
|
√ |
|
Siskin |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |
|
|
Starling |
√ |
√ |
|
|
√ |
|
