Why feeding needs some thought
Putting out food can help garden birds, particularly in cold spells and in late winter when natural food is scarcer. But feeders also bring many birds into close contact, and that is how some diseases spread. Droppings and old food on a dirty feeder can carry bacteria, parasites or fungi. The aim is to help birds without creating a hazard, and the main tools are good feeder design, sensible amounts of food and regular cleaning.
It is also worth being clear about what feeding does. It can supplement natural food, but it does not replace a garden with shrubs, seed heads, berries and insects. Planting for wildlife is usually the longer-term way to support birds, and feeders are an addition to that. If you are only starting a beginner home garden, shrubs with berries and a few seed-bearing plants are a good first step alongside any feeder.
What to feed
Different birds eat different things, so a few types of food reach more species.
- Sunflower hearts are widely used and suit many seed-eating birds. They produce less husk waste than whole seeds.
- Nyjer seed is small and is often used in specialist feeders for finches.
- Fat-based foods, such as suet pellets or fat balls, give energy in cold weather. Choose products not sold in nylon mesh bags, because birds’ feet and beaks can get caught in the mesh.
- Peanuts can be useful, but should be in a mesh feeder so that birds cannot take large pieces, particularly when young are being raised. Buy from a reputable supplier of bird food rather than food meant for people.
- Fruit such as chopped apples and pears may be eaten by thrushes and blackbirds.
Avoid bread, salted foods, cooked fat from the kitchen and desiccated coconut. These offer little nutrition or can cause harm. Whole nuts and large chunks are also best avoided in the breeding season.
Put out modest amounts that will be eaten within a day or two, rather than filling a feeder to the top and leaving it. Fresh food that does not go mouldy is safer than a big store that sits in the damp.
Hygiene routines that help
Most wildlife groups suggest the same basic habits:
- Clean feeders regularly. Many guides suggest brushing them down at least every week or two, and more often in wet weather or when many birds visit.
- Use warm water and a mild disinfectant. A dilute, bird-safe feeder cleaner or a mild solution made as directed on the product works for many people. Rinse thoroughly and let everything dry fully before refilling. Never mix different cleaning products together. Wear gloves, wash your hands afterwards, and follow normal chemical storage advice by keeping cleaners out of reach of children and pets.
- Clean outside, not in the kitchen sink. Bird droppings can carry germs that can affect people, so use a separate bucket and brush kept for the purpose.
- Move feeders around now and then. Droppings and spilled food build up under a feeder. Shifting it a short distance, and sweeping or rinsing the ground below, can reduce contact with old waste.
- Provide clean water. A shallow bird bath should be emptied, scrubbed and refilled often, especially in warm weather when it can turn green quickly. Water collected through rainwater harvesting can top it up, as long as the butt is covered and the water is fresh.
- Remove stale or wet food. Throw out anything that looks mouldy or has clumped together.
If you see sick birds, such as ones that seem fluffed up, lethargic or have swollen or crusty eyes, it is a common recommendation to stop feeding for a couple of weeks, clean everything thoroughly and let birds disperse. Local wildlife organisations often publish guidance on this, and some run reporting schemes for disease in garden birds. A dead bird should be handled with gloves or a bag and disposed of as local advice recommends.
Choosing and placing feeders
Feeders with small ports, trays that are easy to remove and surfaces that can be brushed clean are simpler to keep hygienic than intricate ones. Place them where:
- there is cover nearby, such as a shrub or hedge, so birds can retreat from predators, but not so close that cats can hide right next to them;
- the feeder is either very close to a window (within a metre or so) or well away from it, because a bird startled from a feeder a medium distance away can hit the glass at higher speed; and
- you can easily reach it to clean and refill it.
Squirrels may need a baffle or a different design. Rats are attracted by spilled food, so cleaning up under feeders also helps with that.
Nest boxes
Nest boxes give cavity-nesting birds, such as tits, sparrows and starlings, a place to raise young where natural holes are scarce. A few points are commonly recommended.
Choose the right entry hole. Small holes suit small birds such as blue tits, while larger ones suit species like sparrows or starlings. Open-fronted boxes suit birds such as robins. Check guidance from a wildlife organisation for the sizes that suit species in your area.
Placement. Most guidance suggests a position that is sheltered from strong sun and heavy rain, often facing roughly north to east, with a clear flight path to the entrance. Fix it firmly at a height of a few metres where practical, or at least out of reach of cats. Tilt it very slightly forward so that rain runs off.
Timing. Boxes can go up at almost any time of year, and some birds use them for roosting in winter. Many people put them up in autumn or winter so that they are weathered before spring.
Material. Untreated wood of good thickness insulates better than thin plastic or metal. Avoid anything that gets very hot in direct sun.
Cleaning. Once nesting has finished, usually after the end of summer, wear gloves and a mask, remove the old nest, and scald the box with boiling water or wipe it with a mild solution before leaving it to dry. Old nests can hold parasites. Do not disturb a box during the breeding season, and note that in many places it is illegal to disturb the nests of wild birds that are in use, so check the rules where you live.
Keeping expectations realistic
A new feeder may take days or weeks to attract regular visitors, and a new nest box may not be used in its first year. Boxes will not suit every bird, and some years few birds will nest in them. That is normal. What is within your control is putting out safe food, keeping feeders and water clean, and offering suitable boxes in good positions. Combined with a garden that supplies natural food and shelter, that is a reasonable and low-risk way to support the birds around you.