We are now reaching the cold and unforgiving part of our Winter. This is the time we need to consider some of the animals that share our gardens. The most vulnerable at the moment are the birds and they can benefit greatly from our help with food water and shelter.
Now in our gardens all the beautiful colour of the flowering vegetation is mostly dormant. The birds will provide the colour and life to our outdoor spaces and are an essential element to the welfare and diversity of our gardens, playing a vital role all year round.
Throughout December, January, February and March if weather is still cold, is the period that our feathered friends most need our help.
Feeding:
The structures most used are the various bird feeders, bird tables, bird baths and bird boxes for shelter.
The Food:
Top Tips
Now in our gardens all the beautiful colour of the flowering vegetation is mostly dormant. The birds will provide the colour and life to our outdoor spaces and are an essential element to the welfare and diversity of our gardens, playing a vital role all year round.
Throughout December, January, February and March if weather is still cold, is the period that our feathered friends most need our help.
Feeding:
The structures most used are the various bird feeders, bird tables, bird baths and bird boxes for shelter.
The Food:
- Seed mix will attract most of the smaller bird species such as finches, sparrows, tits and pigeons
- Peanuts: sparrows, tits, finches and maybe even a woodpecker
- Sunflower seeds: finches like chaffinch and bullfinch
- Fat Balls: Very popular with the tits like the great, blue and coal tits. Most birds will avail of these winter treats.
- Nyger seed: Redpoll, Goldfinch, siskin and a big hit with the sparrows.
- Bread / food scraps: All birds may have a go here. Generally this food is presented on a bird table or on the ground. This makes it accessible to the larger birds such as pigeons, Doves, Jackdaws, Rooks, Magpies, Blackbirds and Thrushes.
- Fruit: Very popular with Blackbirds, Thrushes, Fieldfares and Redwings
Top Tips
- Using cooked food, especially if left on the ground, may attract rodents
- Always change the food in the feeders. If it gets old or mouldy it can kill the birds, so please empty and clean feeders regularly
- In frozen and frosty conditions, birds need water, so regularly checking required as it will freeze over very quickly
