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Our garden birds are both a delight to see and to hear. They guarantee to bring a smile to the face of the most 'grumpy' of people!

Sadly, many once common birds are now quite rare and this is mainly due to the destruction of their habitat and changes in land management.  

The RSPB conducted a survey in 2005 of the top ten birds in our gardens. The results are quite surprising:-

Blackbird                       66.2

Nesting species          % of gardens

Blue tit                          56.5

House sparrow               46.1

Robin                             32.7

Great tit                        23.6

Dunnock                         18.0

Collared dove                  17.2

Greenfinch                      13.8

Magpie                            11.0

Song thrush                     10.6

To help the bird population you can easily make whatever space you have, whether it be a back yard or a large garden, into a 'service station' where birds can pop in for water, food and rest.

The first thing to remember is that birds will very quickly become reliant upon you so don't let them down! You should feed birds all the year round and not just in winter as many people believe. It's the type of food given to the birds that changes with the seasons and not the quantity. And, what you feed the birds and where you place it will determine, to a large extent, what species of birds you will attract.

All birds, whatever the species, require daily fresh water. Birds not only drink the water but they will also take communal baths in it! This is a sight to behold...have your camera ready!

Birds need to take a bath to clean their feathers and also to keep them warm - especially in winter. The bath enables the bird to fluff up its feathers, trapping air between the layers, keeping the warmth inside. It's just like us layering our clothes to keep warm.   

Bird baths should be placed well out of a cat's reach and somewhere where the birds can see a predating cat prowling around. And, if frozen, the ice should be removed and fresh water provided. NEVER use anti freeze or de-icer to defrost the bird bath otherwise you will not only poison the birds, but also anything else that drinks the water or eats the dead birds.

We have an eight foot pole in the garden - two foot in the ground and six above - with a flower tub screwed onto the top and in this is an old upturned dustbin lid. The dustbin lid is filled with water and large stones placed in the centre where the birds can perch. Mind you it does look like we have buried some Daleks, on their backs, in our garden with their plungers sticking out of the ground!

Should you have a cat then the thing to do is to pop a collar on the animal with two bells dangling from it. Cat's have learned how to stalk other animals in such a way as to silence the bell if only one is worn - two bells will ring and warn the birds.

Different types of birds are attracted to different levels in your garden. On the ground floor you will often find the wren, dunnock, robin and blackbird fluttering around in the vegetation close to, or on, the earth looking for food.

On the first floor you are likely to come across the finch and tit families enjoying themselves in hedges, shrubs and bushes searching for food.

Birds such as the jay, song thrush, crows and collared doves you will find in the penthouse. They like to sit high up on trees and survey the landscape below for food.

This gives us a good idea of different ways to feed our garden birds. 

Ground floor birds love to eat their food amongst the vegetation on the ground. Ensure you throw the food well into bushy, shrubby areas to protect them from predators. Bird feeders will attract the first floor birds such as the tit and finch families whilst trays of food placed high atop a post will favour the penthouse birds - jays and collared doves. 

YOU CAN FEED GARDEN BIRDS:-

  • Raisins, currants and sultanas;
  • Seeds;
  • Cooked rice - unsalted;
  • Dry porridge oats;
  • Animal fat;
  • Mild Cheddar cheese - grated;
  • Apples and pears - chopped;
  • Pastry - cooked and uncooked;
  • Bird peanuts*;
  • Cold, cooked potatoes - not chips.

DO NOT FEED GARDEN BIRDS:-

  • Spicy foods;
  • Salty foods;
  • Crisps;
  • Snack foods;
  • Chocolate;
  • Mouldy food;
  • Desiccated coconut;
  • Cheap peanuts - they contain toxins*;
  • Bacon;
  • Salted nuts;
  • Dry bread;
  • Margarine and vegetable oils:

 

* Please don't be tempted to buy cheap peanuts with which to feed the birds as these may contain toxins that are lethal to the birds. Only buy peanuts from a reputable source such as TWOOTZ. Visit Twootz at their website www.twootz.com.

 

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