Feeding Wild Birds

Some people feel that wild birds should only be fed during the winter when natural food is scarce, whilst others will continue feeding all year round. I'm with the second group of people and happily feed birds the entire year.

Feeding all year round won't stop the birds from naturally foraging for other foods or make them dependant on humans. I tend to find garden birds have a routine and turn up at certain times of the day for a quick top up, and are then on their way again.

Although winter is the hardest time for wild birds, they also need a helping hand in the breeding season. At this time of year birds use a lot of energy to defend territories and attract a mate. Once their young are hatched, birds then have to find extra food to feed their offspring.

However, you do need to be careful what types of food you feed. Some foods can cause problems when parent birds are feeding chicks. Peanuts for example are great for seeing wild birds through the winter, but they can choke fledglings if brought back to the nest by the parent.k

Spring / Summer

At this time of year wild birds will need high protein foods that will give them the energy they need to start a family.

If you shop around you can buy specially prepared seed mixes designed for this time of year, or you can mix your own with seeds such as millet, nyjer, maize, wheat, oats and sunflower.

As well as seed you other foods such as, currants, raisins, mealworms, waxworms and grated mild cheese can be put out for the none seed eaters. If you are one of those people that buys to much fruit, then cut up soft apples and pears, bananas and grapes will also be appreciated.

Try to avoid feeding peanuts or bread as they may choke young birds.

Autumn / Winter

During this time of year wild birds need high energy or fatty foods to build up their energy reserves to keep them warm throughout the cold winter months.

All the summer foods can be continued, and in addition include peanuts, fat balls or fat cakes. You may find you will have to fill feeders more frequently at this time of year.

Water

As well as food it is also important to make sure that you there is a readily available supply of clean water available for birds visiting your feeders to drink. This may not seem important in the UK, but during the summer surface water dries up and birds may have to cover large distances for a drink. Even in winter water can be come scarce. In very cold weather water can start to freeze solid making it hard for birds to find fresh drinking water.

Safety

As already I have already said certain foods can be harmful to chicks, but there are other safety concerns. Food that has become soiled can be a source of disease to chicks and adult birds. Fat balls often are supplied in a plastic mesh, this should be reved before placing them in a feeding area, as the birds can become entangled in the mesh, causing injury or death to the bird.

Different species of wild birds have different feeding habits, so will need to be fed in different areas of the garden. Sparrows, tits, woodpeckers, nuthatches and finches will all happily feed from a hanging feeder. Robins, thrushes and blackbirds however will feed from the ground.

When choosing a feeding station you will want to consider a few things. How the bird feeds, is the area safe from predator attack, whether you want to see the birds from a certain window or do you want to attract birds to a specific area of your garden.

When choosing a position for a hanging bird feeder you will want to make sure there is cover nearby, if you hang it in an open position then the birds are open to attack from sparrow hawks. You will also need to make sure it is out of reach of cats. If hanging from a branch of a tree, choose a branch thick enough to hold the feeder, but not strong enough to hold a predator.

Ground feeders however will want to be fed somewhere where they have a clear view of the surrounding area. Cats and other predators can hide in bushes and shrubs so you will want to place the food in an open area.

Bird tables make a great feeding station and are visited by all types of birds. The feeding area is off the ground, out of reach of cats, and if you purchase one with a roof then sparrow hawks are unable to attack the birds while they feed. You may want to place them in an area where there is some cover nearby, so that birds can retreat to safety if necessary.

Another point to consider is whether or not you have a fruit or vegetable garden. If you have fruit bushes in the garden, then you probably won't want to feed thrushes and blackbirds next to them. If on the other hand you have a vegetable garden then blackbirds and thrushes will help to keep caterpillars and snails under control, so a feeding station there may be a good idea.

Bird feeders and feeding areas can soon become blocked or messy so it is important that you keep them clean and tidy. Food left laying around on the ground can soon spoil and attract unwanted visitors such as rats or mice.

After heavy rain seed feeders can soon get clogged if water has managed to seep into the feeder. If they are not cleaned out the seed can soon become clogged around the feeding holes and begin to rot.

Fat balls and blocks can also be a problem if not eaten. In hot weather they can begin melt spoil. If you feed this type of food check the feeders regularly ad remove uneaten food on a regular basis.

If you put out sunflower seeds on a regular basis the leftover shells can be a real problem, creating a mess on the floor around the feeding area and being blown around by the wind. One solution to this is to purchase de-shelled sunflower seeds known as sunflower hearts.