Feed the birds, with winter fast approaching and major outbreaks of bird flu ravaging the avian population our feathered friends can do with all the help they can get.
We publish this article from The British Trust for Ornithology every year at an appropriate time to highlight the importance of giving wildlife a helping hand.
There are a large number of bird feeders available but even providing a table with a hand full of nuts and seeds can mean the difference between life and death for some of our most recognisable birds.
Feed the Birds: The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
As autumn draws in and food for birds in the wider countryside is depleted, our feathered companions will start to flock to feeders in our gardens. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) provides a master class on what the public can do to help.
Last winter taught us many lessons: travel chaos dilutes the romance of a white Christmas; Frosty the Snowman can begin to feel like a permanent guest; and when it gets really cold huge numbers of birds precipitate from the sky and settle in our gardens. Thousands of hungry beaks snaffled up tasty morsels in UK gardens last winter, and as the spectacle unfurled participants in the year-round BTO Garden BirdWatch recorded the dramatic comings and goings.
As we gear up for another winter, now is a great time to think about our garden visitors again. For them, our patch can mean the difference between life and death and the BTO Garden BirdWatch has issued guidelines on how householders can help:
In a nutshell
1. Top foods:
- Oil-rich seeds, such as sunflower hearts and nyjer
- Ground-up peanuts
- Finely grated cheese, beef or vegetable suet
- Chunks of windfall (especially) or fresh fruit
- Dried fruit (that has been soaked first) – note, can be toxic to dogs
- Mealworms and other live-foods (alive or dried)
- Beef or vegetable suet-based ‘cakes’
- Pinhead oatmeal or uncooked porridge oats
2. Foods to avoid:
- Soft fats and oils (can soil feathers)
- Dried foods e.g. coconut, uncooked rice (could swell after ingestion)
- Bread (nutritionally lacking compared with other foods)
- Milk (birds are not adapted to digest milk)
- Cooked porridge (can stick to beak)
3. Provide clean fresh water: to drink and to keep feathers in good condition for insulation.
4. Don’t provide too much! Ensure that food does not go mouldy and cleanfeeders regularly. Excess food can attract vermin.
5. Avoid substantial trimming of berry producing vegetation such as holly and ivy that will continue to hold fruit long into winter.
6. Record what you see through the BTO Garden BirdWatch so that we can monitor garden birds every week of the year.
Dr Tim Harrison, BTO Garden BirdWatch, commented: “Research shows that providing food during winter improves the survival prospects of many species and can even boost breeding success in the following spring. Cold winters often occur in flurries and if last winter is anything to go by then thousands of birds will race to our handouts during the next few months.”
He added: “Huge numbers of birds that are normally scarce garden visitors, such as Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling, can pour into our towns and cities during cold weather – so autumn and winter is a great time to be an armchair birdwatcher! Research shows that interactions with nature can reduce levels of stress, so feeding birds can be a positive activity all round.”
For a free guide on feeding garden birds or for more information about BTO Garden BirdWatch please phone 01842 750050, email gbw@bto.org or write to BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.
The Big Garden Birdwatch 2023 is coming on 27-29 January! Sit back, relax and watch your garden birds for an hour.
Further information cab be found by following the link below.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/
