Winter Bird Feeding

The importance of caring for winter wildlife:

Caring for wild birds during the winter season is crucial for their survival, especially in the UK where harsh weather conditions can make it difficult for them to find food. By providing them with nutritious bird feed, you can help them maintain their energy levels and stay warm during the cold months. This not only benefits the birds but also allows you to enjoy their beautiful songs and vibrant colours all year round. So, take a few minutes each day to feed the birds, and you’ll be making a positive impact on the environment and the wildlife around you.

In order to survive the cold days and nights, birds must consume more food during the winter, that’s why it’s important to offer any extra food you can, to both your local and visiting birds. Like all wildlife, birds can benefit greatly from our help during these harsh weather conditions.

What to feed:

To attract a variety of bird species to your feeder, offering a diverse range of food is key. Consider using one regular feeder for seeds and another for peanuts, which are a favourite among many birds. Additionally, providing fat balls is an excellent way to support them, especially during the winter season. These balls are long-lasting, resistant to melting, and packed with the necessary energy birds need to thrive.

Offer a variety of feeds to attract a wider variety of birds to your garden:

Peanuts – Tits, Woodpecker, Greenfinch

Mealworm – Blackbird, Wren, Robin

Suet – Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Woodpecker, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Starling

Seed Mixes – Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Sparrow, Wren

Sunflower Hearts – Tits, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Sparrow, Nuthatch 

Nyjer Seed – Goldfinch

Why feed fat:

During cold winter weather, birds require high-energy, high-fat foods to maintain their fat reserves and survive the harsh conditions. To help them maintain essential warmth when it’s coldest, provide them with fat balls and suet-based products which offer excellent nutrition.

Keep them hydrated:

For seed-eating birds like Finches, access to clean, fresh water is just as vital as food. Since their diet is quite dry, they require regular hydration to maintain balance.

Keep it up:

If you’ve decided to start feeding birds, it’s important to remember that it’s a commitment. Be sure to replenish their food supply on a regular basis. While most birds are adaptable and can move on to find another feeding area when natural food sources decrease, a sudden lack of food can put additional strain on them to find a new source quickly.