Winter Food For Wildlings

Most fanciers feed and love to watch their garden bird visitors, but we’re not all acquainted with the latest nutrional and practical advice on what and how to feed. Writing specially for Cage & Aviary Birds, JAMIE WYVER of the RSPB talks through some cold-weather recommendations

- Jamie Wyver

AS THE weather turns chillier, many of us will be putting out extra food for the wild birds visiting our gardens, balconies and other outdoor spaces.

At the RSPB, we’re often asked what the best types of food are to fill bird tables and feeders. Obviously, different species have differing needs. There are the insect eaters: dunnocks, wrens, robins and starlings. Then there are birds that specialise in seeds, such as finches and sparrows. Blackbirds and thrushes will favour fruit and berries.

In addition, many birds will switch their diets as the seasons change: tits that will have fed on insects throughout the summer will now be looking for seeds and nuts.

For your bird-feeding station really to benefit these feathered visitors, you’ll want to provide foods that they can access with minimum effort. Ideally, their feeding activity should be quick and provide maximum nutrition for the energy used in finding and eating the food. For example, seed-eating birds will primarily choose their food based on how long it’ll take to remove the husk and how quickly the seed can be digested. Generally, the smaller the bird’s beak, the smaller their preferred seeds will be.

To avoid waste and a build-up of unwanted food, use seed mixes on the ground, because the birds using your feeders may only prefer certain seed types. It’s best just to use one type of seed, such as black sunflowers, in a hanging feeder. The following list will help you choose what’s best for your local wild birds.

Mealworms – live or dried