These five tips on how to look after the birds in your garden will ensure they are well fed and watered over the winter months.
- Suet balls or blocks
- Nuts, seeds and mealworms
- Keep feeders clean
- Fresh, ice-free water
- Ground feeders
1. Suet balls and blocks
Suet balls, fat balls and blocks are nutritious and full of energy for our garden birds during a tough time of year. They can be bought in packs and tubs or you could try making your own at home!
2. Nuts, seeds and mealworms
There is a massive choice of seed mixes for garden birds. If you watch the birds that visit your garden, you can treat them to the best suited seeds. If you’d like to attract different species, try adding different styles of feeders, including nuts and mealworms, so there is something for as many species as possible. You’ll find so much joy in spotting new feathered friends visiting over the winter months.
3. Keep feeders clean
When you top up your bird feeders, make sure they are kept clean to ensure there is no spread of disease between birds. When the feeders are empty, please take the opportunity to clean them with warm soapy water, and ensure they are properly dry before refilling. Also, check over your bird tables and bird baths to keep them clean.
4. Fresh ice-free water
Imagine a meal without a drink to wash it down! Water can be supplied in bird baths or even in plant trays left on a table. The addition of stones can be helpful as well. Birds will bathe and drink from it, so if there has been a frost, ensure the water isn’t frozen so birds can still get the water.
5. Ground feeders
Some birds feed on a bird table, while others prefer to feed from the ground. Most will do both, but during the months when food is scarce, and birds need to save as much energy as possible to get through the cold weather, spreading some bird food, such as mealworms, on the ground will be helpful as well.
Here at Lakeside, you'll find plenty of bird food and accessories to help your garden birds this winter.
