Wild Bird Feeding Guide

Wild Bird Feeding Guide

Feeding birds in your garden is a good idea all year round, but it becomes especially important during the winter months, when natural food is scarce.

Many species of birds are in decline for a variety of reasons, including changing farming  practices and a loss of habitat. Some also die of starvation during the cold winter weather - and smaller birds such as blue tits and robins are particularly susceptible to this.

But the good news is that you can play a valuable part in helping birds survive by providing food and shelter for our feathered friends. 

If you want to attract a variety of birds to your garden, you need to offer a variety of foods. Like us, birds have different preferences, and it’s worth researching the favourites of different species before buying food.

As well as food, it is equally important to provide water for birds, for drinking and bathing. A shallow dish makes a good birdbath - you don’t need to splash out on one. When the weather is cold, keep an eye out to make sure the water hasn’t frozen over.

What should I feed?
Mixed wild bird seed - A good quality mixed seed might contain sunflowers, hemp, millet, oats, wheat and maize. The smaller seeds are popular with tits and sparrows, whereas the larger grains will attract blackbirds and starlings. 

Peanuts - Good for tits, greenfinches, house sparrows, nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and siskins. Crushed or grated nuts attract robins.

Sunflower seeds and niger seed - Sunflower hearts are a good all round no-mess food, and black sunflower seeds are enjoyed by a variety of species, especially finches and tits. Niger seed is a firm favourite of goldfinch. 

Fat balls - These are balls made of suet containing lots of different seeds - a great high energy food which is ideal for winter. 

Dried live food - Some mixes contain dried live food such as insects and worms. These are a real treat for robins.