Bird Feeding Guide

Providing food for birds contributes to the overall success and longevity of our wild birds in Britain. But, it's important to remember some simple rules when offering wild bird feed to help attract a kaleidoscope of species.

• It is important that once you've started feeding wild birds, that you continue all year round as wild birds will begin to see your garden as a regular hotspot of nutrients.

• According to the BTO, experts on all things birdy, feeding birds during the cooler months is a priority as wild birds will need to stay plump to ensure survival.

• Birds tend to feed early morning and late afternoon, especially during winter, so it's important to check that there is bird feed available during these times.

• Of course, additional feeding is highly recommended all year round, particularly during the breeding season early spring where parents will be on the hunt to find feed for their young brood as well as themselves.

The kind of feeder or the manner by which you offer your wild winged creature feed has a tendency to decide the sort of species you will draw in. Utilizing a standard blended fowl feed on a feathered creature table or on the ground will draw in a significant number of the more typical wild flying creature species. Feeders will have a tendency to draw in littler winged animals that can stick onto either a work external or roost. Also, to pull in a more extensive scope of wild winged animals, you could start to present master feeders, for example, Nyger Feeders that are intended to take the minor Nyger Seed, which are a specific most loved with finches. 

Get up near wild winged creatures as they feed utilizing a window feeder. Accessible in a wide range of assortments, they are ideal for perceiving species and viewing their individual character characteristics. 

Whichever strategy for encouraging you pick, though ground, table or feeder recall that cleanliness is vital. In a perfect world, feeders ought to be cleaned each time we refill them to keep the development of microbes that could make ailment spread among our wild winged animals. Look at our manual for Keeping it Clean for guidance about how to clean your feeders. To help keep this further, there are various feeders accessible including our Heavy-Duty Swivel Top feeders and the BTO Heavy-Duty Feeders, which gloat an imaginative FeedSafe™ biocidal covering which eliminates microscopic organisms on contact. It is additionally imperative that we give perfect, crisp water lasting through the year. It is conceivable to buy Ice Free for Bird Baths to stop water in water basins solidifying over winter. 

Winter is the hardest time for our wild flying creatures as the need to discover sustenance when nature's larder is at its most reduced, joined with long, chilly evenings and short days for scrounging. Amid this season, greasy, calorie-loaded wild winged animal feeds, for example, nibble balls, squares or semi-sodden treats and even wild feathered creature seed blended with semi-damp suet pellets, are mainstream expansion and make for the best supplements in winter. You can buy fat balls either with or without nets. On the off chance that you do utilize got nibble balls it is basic to watch the winged creatures consistently as their hooks can wind up tangled in the nylon. In the event that this isn't functional, at that point we suggest utilizing un-got fat balls inside a fat ball holder without fail! 

Amid winter, the request to top up feeders can appear to be perpetual. Notwithstanding, there are some straightforward traps and shabby options you can offer close by your standard winged animal seed and fat tidbits.

• Bulk out your usual wild bird seed with a cheaper filler use as suet pellets, peanut granules, uncooked oats, sultanas or dried mealworms. Plus, this will add much needed protein and carbohydrates to their diets.

• Offer your leftovers such as dried fruit, raw, unsalted bacon rind, and grated hard cheese or left over fruit such as apples, plums and pears, crushed or soaked biscuits and finely chopped remnants at the bottom of the cereal box. Avoid any cooked meats or fats as they can clog feathers and never offer milk as birds cannot digest it.

• Think long term and make your garden a haven for wild birds and wildlife alike by planting bird friendly plants, trees and shrubs that will provide a feast of plump berries, fruit and seeds.

• Buy in bulk. The more Wild Bird Feed you buy the greater the savings. Plus, bags of Wild Bird Feed over 12kg are VAT free in the UK.

With so many feeds available it can be difficult to know which one is the best to offer. Here is our simple guide to the basic and most commonly used wild bird feeds.

Probably the most common and easily offered, there are hundreds of varieties of wild bird mixes and straight seeds to choose from. The key is knowing which species you'd like to attract or have in your area, and how you would like to offer the feed.

Using a basic seed mix that will appeal to a large variety of common species, such as our Wild Bird Special mix or All Seasons blend, which are packed full of nutrient rich seeds and grains, are a great start. These types of loose seed mixes can be combined with other fillers (see above) to bulk out and can be offered either in a seed feeder or either a bird table or the ground.

To tempt in more varieties you could begin to include specialist feeds that appeal to the specific preferences of a species or are welcome at that time of year. For example, our free-flowing Feeder Banquet, as the name suggests, is a sumptuous mix of high quality, energy-rich ingredients and is a particular favourite with Tits, Siskins and Greenfinches.

It is also important to consider the needs of the wild birds you'd like to attract into your garden. Robins, Thrushes and Blackbirds are all ground feeders so it's important to offer an alternative feeding location for these species and an appropriate feed. An all-round, best seller for us is our Goldencrest mix. Suitable for feeders, bird tables or ground, this mix is not only nutritious, it is husk-free which means no waste and much less risk of unwanted plants germinating in your garden.

Seed blends that contain suet treats are particularly welcome during the colder months.

The brilliant and very popular Best of British mix is perfect for attracting a range of wild birds such as Tits, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Wrens and Collared Doves (to name a few). As the name suggests, this highly nutritious blend replicates the natural feeds found in our countryside and is wholly sourced from the UK, supporting our British farmers. Best served on a bird table or on the ground, it's a fantastic all-rounder and is great value for money too.

Straight seeds range from Peanuts to Sultanas and Bogena to Nyger Seeds. Each has its very own special qualities that benefit diet of our wild birds.

Peanuts are probably the most popular straight feed to buy. Oil-rich, Peanuts are a high-energy food source and favoured by a variety of species including Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and Tits. It is important to remember that if you do want to offer peanuts, they must be contained within a wire mesh feeder, as they can be a choking hazard for small or young birds. Peanut Granules or crushed peanuts are a great alternative to Peanuts and are quite safe to be offered in feeders, on the ground or bird table on their own or mixed with other feeds. To help attract woodpeckers and nuthatches into your garden, why not try pushing peanuts into natural nooks or drill holes into old logs or fallen branches. Avoid salted peanuts when serving these options to the wild birds in your garden.

Bogena Softbill Food is a high quality, complete feed for the fruit and insect loving species, which thrive on a rich, moist mix. Crammed with proteins, carbohydrates, fats, dried seeds, berries and insects you can feed on its own with another blend created for softbills such as Songbird Delight or Goldensong.

Irresistible to Goldfinches, the tiny, oil-rich Nyger Seed or thistle seed are full of goodness and so small in fact that it's best to serve in a specialised Nyger Seed Feeder with little holes that reduce wastage. Goldfinches in particular are a fan of Nyger, but they are also likely to attract Siskin and Greenfinch too. In no time, your entire garden will be awash with these colourful wild birds.

Sunflower Seeds are usually the first choice for wild birds, as they don't have an outer coat or husk to peel making them an easy meal. Considered the ultimate straight food, they top the list for combining nutritional value and high-energy content with ease of feeding and versatility. Offer them in a feeder either on their own or mixed with another feed, on the ground or a table.

A great value, year-round staple, are the Black Sunflower Seeds. Our Black Sunflower Seeds have thin outer husks for easy access to their nutrient rich insides. Very popular with a wide range of species, they are perfect mixed with other feeds or safe to offer on their own.

Packed full of protein and moisture, plump and juicy mealworms and waxworms are a great addition to boost the diets of wild birds. Particularly helpful over winter when worms, snails, slugs and other insects are in short supply.

Mealworms are the most popular live food used in Britain for garden birds. The larvae of the Flour Beetle are a good source of protein and fat. Great for attracting a range of wild birds including Robins and Thrushes, they can be fed all year-round, but particularly in the spring when parent birds are looking to feed their young. Store them in a cool, dry place such as the garage, shed or even your fridge! Both can be served in a ground feeder or on a bird table. Usually when you order live mealworms they come with a small amount of food. Getting in some additional live mealworm food to help keep them fresher for longer is always handy.

Waxworms (Galleria mellonella) are the larvae of the Greater Wax Moth and get their name because they are most commonly found in honeycombs of beeswax. Their soft body is easily digestible and very nutritious. They are rich in protein, moisture and fat, making them an even more juicy meal. Full of protein to help birds over the winter months, especially when worms, snails, slugs and other insects are in short supply.

Live feeds are bursting with protein, but for those of us who are a little squeamish at the thought of handling these wrigglers, a great alternative is dried mealworms. Remember to soak dried mealworms in water before you serve outside of a feeder as they tend to fly away, plus this helps further hydrate the birds. You could even bulk out your usual feeder seed with dried mealworms for even greater variety and nutrients for your feathered friends. It's important to discard of any discoloured mealworms you may find as they could carry diseases such as salmonella.

As a special treat, why not add a fresh, cut open coconut into your feeding routine. Simply break open and drain the coconut, hang on a branch or on a feeding station and watch as Tits will flock into the garden to enjoy! Once the coconut shell has been hollowed out by those greedy Tits, why not fill with a homemade fatball recipe.