Feeding Wild Birds

By Tony Hoskin

Treecreeper on a fat ball feeder

A good way to spot birds and find out which species are visiting your garden is to put out bird feeders, and very soon you will find that the birds have welcomed them and they will start regular visits. What sort of feeders and food you put out will determine which species will come as different birds have different food requirements. Generally, you can use seed feeders, nut feeders, fat ball feeders and, of course, bird tables.

 

Blackbird on home-made bird table

Starting with seed feeders, these attract a wide variety of birds, including Blue Tits, Great Tits, Greenfinches, Robins and Reed Buntings among others, but, like all bird watching, the species that you see will vary from area to area.

Reed Buntings on a seed feeder

Nut feeders can attract species of birds that don’t take to seed feeders, such as Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreepers and Long-tailed Tits. All the other tits have the advantage of being able to feed not only on seeds but will also enjoy peanuts and fat balls. Goldfinches will also go for peanuts. Peanuts should always be put in mesh feeders where the birds can take small pieces through the mesh. Don’t scatter them on bird tables in case birds take them whole and choke on them.

Great Spotted Woodpecker on a nut feeder

Goldfinches on a nut feeder

Fat ball feeders will attract all the tits that feed on seeds and peanuts, as well as Long-tailed Tits, Starlings and many other birds.

Starling on a fat ball feeder

Bird tables will perhaps encourage the widest variety of birds as there is scope for a greater selection of food for them on a bird table. Long-tailed Tits will come to take grated cheese and small pieces of broken bread. Other foods that can be put out on your bird table include seeds, porridge oats and ripe fruit, and I have often put out pots of cream and butter spreads that have past their use-by dates, but, as with bread, don’t put these out if they have gone mouldy.

A busy bird table with Greenfinch, Chaffinches and Brambling

There are many different designs of bird table on the market and they can often be expensive, but a simple square or rectangle of wood with a bead around the edge to stop the wind blowing everything away is easy to make, but be sure to leave a gap in the corners to allow water to drain off in wet times.

In order to keep your birds fed but healthy, it is advisable to keep your feeding stations cleansed regularly, and if you have the room it is a good idea to move them to different areas of your garden. Every month to six weeks is recommended as there are viruses and diseases that can kill your birds, and finches are particularly susceptible. And don’t forget to provide some water both for drinking and bathing.

Long-tailed Tits on a fat ball feeder

Feeding wild birds not only helps them but can give you hours of pleasure, especially on cold or wet winter days when you might get as many birds feeding on the ground as on the table!