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Feel Good Be Happy

Tip of the Month - Feeding Garden Birds

Posted by Rachel Marston 17 Dec 2008 9:04am

As a child I remember standing at the kitchen sink with mum watching robins and blue tits performing gymnastic feats while hanging from the various feeders on the cherry tree. Putting food out for the birds was a great way to learn about all the different varieties and gave us kids a chance to admire all their pretty colours. And it seems I was not alone, according to the RSPB , almost two thirds of adults in the UK put food in their gardens for birds. During the cold winter month’s lots of birds appreciate some extra food, so here is our guide of what to feed them. Remember to hang feeders out of the reach of curious cats. (Make sure you get your bird food from a reputable supplier to make sure its high quality).

Seed mixes – Look for a mix that contains flaked maize, sunflower seeds and peanut pieces. These will be popular with sparrows, blackbirds and collard doves. Avoid mixes, which contain dried rice, beans or lentils.

Peanuts – high in fat and popular with lots of birds including green finches and blue tits.

Fat balls and cakes – great for many types of birds, make sure you remove the nylon bag, which can injure small birds. Alternatively you can easily make your own, melt fat (eg suet or lard) and stir into a mix of ingredients like peanuts, seeds and oatmeal, base your mix on one third fat to two thirds dry ingredients. Stir well and squash into a plastic container, when set turn out onto a bird table.

Coconut – dried coconuts make great food for many birds, make a hole in the shell and hang from a suitable tree with a piece of string. Don't be tempted to use dessicated coconut as this can swell up inside birds and make them ill.

At Pensthorpe , Bill Jordan's nature reserve, feeding birds is a daily activity. Chrissie Kelley, Pensthorpe Warden told us; “During the winter birds become increasingly dependent on people leaving them food and fresh water too. Different birds like different foods so if you provide a range of food, from peanuts to seed mixes you have a better chance of attracting a range of birds. It's important to stop diseases spreading so clean your bird feeders and table with a very mild disinfectant every month.”

For more tips on feeding garden birds click here

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Comments (12)

at 11:36 on 11 January 2009, diane bailey said:
if i have got some eggs that are out of date i make scrambled egg and put that out for the birds it goes down a treat
at 09:52 on 11 January 2009, Linda Bennett said:
We have at least 3 squirrels who frequent our garden and it's been an expensive learning curve that plastic and wooden seed holders are easy prey for a squirrel to chew up and then empty out the contents! Hanging up coconuts was also short-lived as they chew the string and then run off with the coconut into the woods!! So now I only by metal feeders and tie the lids on with metal chain! I've just started using Niger seeds and that attracted goldfinches straight away.
at 13:56 on 10 January 2009, jackie chamberlain said:
I buy beef dripping @ 49p and basic porridge oats. Melt the dripping, add half a bag of oats and turn the heat off. Stir well, and add some boiling water once the pan is off the heat, otherwise it will boil over. When it has cooled, I put some of the mixture into small polythene bags, and store in the fridge. This sa ves you making it every day. The birds love it. Try dried meal works as well. They are quite cheap at Wilkinsons. Buy basic white bread and soak it in water, and throw out to the birds. Bread must be wet otherwise it swells in the birds tummy and might kill them.
at 10:34 on 10 January 2009, Hilary Dryden said:
I find that by giving my squirrel some monkey nuts in there shells when he comes into my garden only about 3 per day he leaves my feeders and bulbs alone in the garden.
at 18:47 on 09 January 2009, Jo Dollydoll said:
I've recently been given a couple of large tubs of used fat, from our local Fish & chip shop. Apparently, they usually have lots of trouble trying to get rid of it. But I've found it's great for making fat balls with. It's not as solid as suet balls, but in this cold weather, it works a treat and the birds don't seem to mind the whiff of stale fish! So if you want a cheap way to make your fat balls, ask your local chippy. No good if they use healthy oil, of course. :)