Attracting & Caring for the Wild Birds in Our Gardens

The simple answer to the question of how we attract and care for the wild birds in our garden, is to provide them with the things they need – safe habitats, food, water and shelter. In short, the opportunities they need to flourish. But different species have different needs.
 
This article amalgamates extracts from several articles (sources listed at the end) to provide a basic introduction to how we can attract and care for our wild birds.

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​Birds are wonderful visitors to have in your garden – they’re relaxing to watch, can help rid your lawn of weeds, are brilliant at eating pests and can also help with flower pollination.  Here are 4 ways to encourage birds to come and visit your patch.

​1. Set up some bird feeders
One of the best ways to encourage birds to visit has got to be by installing some bird feeders in your garden. There is a wealth of different bird feeds available to attract different bird species, so you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to attracting them to your garden. By providing a variety of feeding sites, you can attract a wider range of birds into your garden.
 
Seed feeders
You want to make sure every bird in your garden - from small birds like Robins and Blue Tits to larger birds like Woodpeckers and Blackbirds - gets the right kind of energy-rich bird food they need.
 
A seed feeder can attract many different species to your garden, including sparrows, tits, finches and Siskins. Available with plastic or metal fittings, they come in a wide variety of sizes and styles and are suitable for sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts or any free-flowing feeder seed mix. Metal fittings usually last longer than plastic and they are more resistant to squirrel damage. Look for RSPB Ultimate feeders.
 
For nyjer seed you need a specially designed feeder as this seed is smaller than other bird food. These special feeders have very small holes or slits instead of the standard feeding ports, which helps prevent too much seed from being wasted.
 
For even less waste you can add a seed tray to your seed feeders. It catches dropped seed and provides extra perching space. Be aware though, that if you wish to attract smaller birds, seed trays are an inviting place for larger birds.

Suet pellet & peanut feeders
Ideal for suet pellets and peanuts, suet pellet and peanut feeders are often popular with tits, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and other species that cling.
 
The only safe method of offering peanuts to wild birds are feeders made from steel mesh. The mesh size needs to be large enough to prevent beak damage and small enough to prevent large pieces of nut from being removed – about 6 mm is a good compromise. These feeders can also be used to feed suet pellets, which are a great alternative to peanuts.

Suet feeders
Suet feeders come in many shapes and sizes. Some are suitable for suet balls, others for suet cakes. Some are multi-purpose and can be used for either balls or cakes.
These feeders are typically made from a wide metal mesh, which holds the suet and provides birds with something to cling to while feeding. Suet feeders are particularly popular with members of the tit family and starlings.

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Food for wild birds
Providing a range of different nutritious foods is essential to attracting a variety of birds to your garden. Some of the foods available include:

• Suet balls - these are perfect for during the winter as they provide birds with the calories they need to keep them going during the long, cold months. They are a favourite with robins, blue tits and long-tailed tits. 
• Sunflower hearts - these are easy for birds to eat and are rich in protein. They are a popular choice with siskins, house sparrows, robins and finches.
• Niger seeds - these tiny black seeds will need to be placed in a specialist feeder as they’re so small. They are the food of choice for siskins, greenfinches and goldfinches. 
• Mealworms - whether you choose dried or live, mealworms are another great addition to your garden restaurant. They are a hit with blackbirds, starlings and robins in particular.
• Peanuts - peanuts are full of protein and fat, so are another great option to feed birds. Having peanuts on your feeder is likely to attract tits, finches and siskins.
• Seeds in peanut butter – spread peanut butter over a log and press bird seed or peanuts into the butter.

 
You may have to wait a little while before the birds come to visit your feeder, but once they know it’s there, it’s highly likely they will return. Ensure you keep it regularly topped up and place it somewhere safe, where birds can spot any immediate signs of danger. This is ideally near to a tall hedge or tree which can provide cover. Avoid low cover as cats can ambush birds this way.
 
It's also worth thinking about having more than one feeding station, to attract different species. If you a have tree in your garden it's a great option to hang some bird feeders from its branches, or you could choose a freestanding feeder if not. Some birds like to feed from the ground, such as blackbirds and chaffinches, so you could provide them with a ground feeding tray. 

2. Provide fresh water
Water is of course vital for birds’ survival, as they need it for drinking and bathing. So, providing them with a fresh, clean water source is a great way to entice them into your garden.
 
You could place a bird bath in your garden or even putting a bowl of water out will suffice. Place it somewhere shaded and where birds can have a good view of potential predators. Water is best kept in a shallow container, no deeper than two inches. Refresh it as often as you can and remove any ice during the winter.

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3. Give birds somewhere to nest
Another great way to encourage birds to your garden is by providing them with somewhere safe and secure to nest. Adding a few nesting boxes in sheltered areas of your garden, away from potential predators, is the best way to do this. Don’t put your nesting box in direct sunlight or where it will be prone to strong winds – somewhere between north- and east-facing is best. There are a few different nesting boxes available, depending on the species of birds you’d like to attract, including:

• Open-fronted nest boxes - these are ideal for robins or wrens, and should be placed low to the ground, hidden by shrubs and other plants.
• Classic small-holed nest boxes - these are the traditional nest boxes, featuring a small hole at the top for birds to enter through. They are suitable for a wide variety of small garden birds and should be placed 2-4 metres up a tree or wall.
• Sparrow terraces - designed for sparrows who breed in colonies, these nest boxes or ‘sparrow terraces’ are basically three nest boxes in one. They should be placed high up, under the eaves of the roof.​

4. Plant some bird-friendly plants
Create an oasis for birds in your own back garden by planting a variety of bird-friendly plants, trees and shrubs. These will help to provide further shelter and nesting sites, as well as a natural food source. Berry-rich trees and shrubs like rowan, hawthorn, guelder rose and holly are all great natural food sources and also help to provide shelter.
 
Plants with an abundance of seeds are another great choice, such as teasels or sunflowers. Ivy and honeysuckle are also popular with birds – they provide dense cover, fruits and attract insects for birds to feast on.
 
Another option is to plant some wildflowers to attract the insects that birds love to feed on. That way you can supply birds with food while filling your garden with gorgeous flower displays. 
 
Follow these simple tips and you’re sure to have a flurry of feathered friends visiting your garden in no time. By providing them with the food, shelter and water they need, you can help conserve species and reverse the trends around declining populations.

Hygiene is important!
Whatever you feed birds with, good hygiene around feeders and bird baths is important all year round, but particularly so during the summer months. The warm weather can make bird food go off more quickly and can provide ideal conditions for harmful bacteria to proliferate.
 
Salmonella is present at a low level in wild bird populations, and poor hygiene at feeding stations can fuel a local outbreak. Greenfinches and house sparrows are most susceptible to this infection, which is transmitted by droppings from an infected bird.
 
It’s important to clean feeders regularly, and to always exercise sensible hygienic care: clean the feeders outdoors, keep separate brushes for the purpose, wear gloves and wash hands after finishing the job.​

Keeping unwanted visitors away
Grey Squirrels are well known for being greedy and persistent pests in our gardens  and can quickly infest a bird feeding station. Attaching a Squirrel Baffle to bird feeding station poles will help prevent these them from climbing up the pole and accessing the bird food. Ensure first that the pole is positioned at least 3m (10ft) away from trees and fences so that the squirrels can’t jump onto it.
 
A wide range of Squirrel Proof Feeders are available to suit all budgets and types of gardens. Caged Bird Feeders come in a variety of attractive designs and are effective at keeping out adult squirrels as well as larger birds including peanut plundering Parakeets.
 
Pigeons and Crows often like to plunder bird seed left on the ground for the smaller ground-feeding birds. To help prevent this make use of the specially designed cages or guards, which helps to protect the food laid out and makes sure it ends up in the right mouths.
 
Rats are attracted to bird feeding stations. Keeping the ground around bird feeders and bird feeding stations clean and free of excess bird food is key; food left on the ground at the end of the day will be the first thing to attract them.
Some bird feeders come with integral Seed Catcher Trays or you could make your own to attach to the bottom of feeders and prevent any discarded or spilled seeds from falling to the ground.
 
Sources
How to attract birds to your garden https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/07/attract-birds-to-your-garden/
Bird Feeders Buying Guide RSPB https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/buying-guides/buying-guide-bird-feeders-pgbirdfeeders