Encouraging winter birds into the garden
When the cold weather arrives, life becomes a lot tougher for our feathered friends. Food is scarce, water freezes over, and the days are short. But the good news is, our gardens, balconies and windowsills can become welcoming places for birds to visit.
Which winter birds might visit my garden?
You might be surprised at just how many different birds you can attract! Some common winter visitors include:
- Robin: This is a small bird with a red breast, often seen as a winter symbol.
- Blue tit: The blue tit is bright, colourful, and acrobatic when feeding.
- Blackbird: This bird is noisy, sociable, and often seen in groups.
- House sparrow: Old leaves and rotting veg might look gross when they go mushy or grow fuzzy mould, but they’re decomposing to return nutrients to the soil.
- Starling: Starlings have glossy, speckled feathers that shine in the sun.
Why do birds need our help in winter?
When the temperature drops, birds need extra energy to stay warm. But in winter, they can find it hard to get enough food because there aren’t as many insects, berries or seeds around.
By offering food, water and shelter, we can give garden birds the helping hand they need to survive winter. Plus, it means we can enjoy their cheerful chirps all year round!
What can I feed birds in winter?
In winter, birds need extra energy to stay warm, so high-energy and high-fat foods are best. Here are some bird-approved favourites:
- Seeds and seed mixes: sunflower hearts, millet or mixed bird seed.
- Mealworms: these are packed full of protein, fat and essential vitamins.
- Nuts: peanuts (always unsalted and never roasted), almonds, pecans, walnuts and pine nuts.
- Fat balls and suet cakes: this is high-energy bird food usually made with animal fat.
- Fruit: apples, pears and berries.
- Scraps: small amounts of cooked rice, oats or grated cheese.
Foods to avoid
Not everything from our kitchen is safe for birds. Some foods can make them poorly, while others might fill them up without giving them the energy they need. Here are some foods that are not bird-friendly:
- Bread: this fills birds up but has very little nutrition.
- Salty foods: birds can’t process salt like we can and too much of it can be harmful.
- Sugary foods: too much sugar gives birds energy “spikes” but no real goodness.
- Greasy food scraps: these can contain oils, fats or seasonings that can harm birds.
- Pet food: things like cat and dog food often contain additives, salt and fat.
- Anything mouldy: mould on food produces toxins that are dangerous for birds.