As our days begin to become shorter and nights longer this restricts the time birds must forage for their food, while at the same time natural food becomes scarcer. It's now a case that the wild birds in our garden have become more and more dependent on the food we leave out for them as an essential supplement to what they can source themselves, especially as the Winter season approaches.
By having convenient, easy to access and high-energy food source in your garden, it really could make the difference between life and death for some of our most beautiful bird species. Here are 5 tips to help with your feeding the birds in your garden.
1. Make sure your bird feeders are visible to the birds
The priority of course, is to make sure that birds are not open to predators, but by hiding feeders in the corner of the garden, birds do not see them too easily. Why not choose a location near to your windows or near the house? Birds will still visit them, and you can get a great view too.
2. Always go for quality and not quantity
Try to use a high-quality bird seed mix when feeding the birds in your garden, this has less filler than cheaper food and birds benefit more from eating it. We suggest you also provide just enough food and top up your feeders often rather than having food that may go mouldy if left in the feeder for too long.
3. Keep Feeding Consistent
It can take some time before birds discover a new source of food after you first put it out, but when they do, they will keep coming back and learn to rely on it. So please keep feeding consistent, once you start, please don't stop.
4. Regularly clean your feeders & bird table
By cleaning your feeders and table regularly with a warm soapy water, this will help minimise the risk of spreading disease and ensuring birds stay fit and healthy. Also, if possible, try relocating your feeders several times a year, as bird droppings can accumulate in once place, unfortunately.
5. Please remember the water
Fresh water is scarce for birds in the winter, and it is just as important as food for a bird’s survival. By providing a convenient source of fresh water for drinking and bathing in your garden, this will help birds conserve valuable energy as they won’t need to go searching for it elsewhere.
