Winter Bird Feeding Tips

You don't have to wear binoculars or an anorak
and a dodgy hat to appreciate the beauty of
birds. A simple bird feeder in your garden will
attract many different breeds like the Robin,
Greenfinch, Blue Tit, Chaffinches and many more.
You will have continual visits from your winged
friends if you can provide them with the right
bird food for winter.

Water is another necessity for birds that
people tend to forget about in winter. With the
cold weather we all assume water will be readily
available, however cold winters can mean dry
winters and water of course becomes ice. So make
sure there's a fresh, ice free, bowl of water in
the garden for them to drink from and bathe in.
Don't feed them milk as they can't digest it.
However cheese (grated if possible) is perfectly
fine for birds and may attract new breeds to your
garden.

Choosing the right bird stand is your first
job. Not all birds will use the perches on the
stand, some will prefer pecking at fallen seeds
or feed from hanging feeders. The more you watch
your birds the more you will find out their
preferences and favourite feeding areas. If you
do buy a bird stand then I would suggest a
sturdy one that isn't going to wobble. They will
fly off at the first sign of an unstable stand.
Place your table away from fences and walls,
birds won't come back if a feline intruder
pounces whilst they're eating. Their survival
instincts will alert them to any danger of
movement and they'll be unlikely to return.

Next is the food. As insects aren't available
to birds in the winter, seeds become their daily
diet. There are a lot of bird seed mixtures on
the market which are bulked up. I tend to avoid
anything with artificial coloured lumps in them
as they're usually dog biscuits which can't be
eaten unless softened by soaking. A good bird
seed mixture should have millet, sunflower seeds
and flaked maize. I also like to feed the usual
choice of peanuts as they are high in fats, but
don't feed them salted peanuts, the high salt
content could kill them. As small birds can
choke on whole peanuts, I usually crush them
before putting them out.

Black sunflower seeds are great all year long
as well and they have a higher fat content than
the striped sunflower seeds. It's a good idea to
put richer seeds like Nyger and sunflower in the
feeders as they are more expensive and you will
lose a lot to the weather and other animals if
you just leave them on the ground. The Nyger
seed contains more oil than most other seeds and
is high in calories, so ideal for winter feeding.
As they aren't a cheap type of seed you can
always mix them in with others. You should find
the number of Goldfinches in your garden
increases with Nyger seeds.

Wet dog and cat food is a good substitute for
earthworms in the cold weather and kitchen
scraps can be used as they contain fats and
carbohydrates that won't be found in bird seeds.
However don't feed them cooking fat that has re
set from your roast as it has bacteria and salt
that is no good for birds. Instead use lard or
beef suet. It's strongly advised from the RSPB
not to leave the suet fat balls in nylon meshes
as birds can get themselves caught. Instead put
them in hanging feeders and keep them off the
ground as you may attract unwanted visitors.

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Alex KellyAs an animal lover, my articles are
based on issues I feel are important for fellow
pet owners.Pet Promenade has everything you will
need for the furry member of the family. From pet
food, dog leads, grooming equipment and bird
cages.With over 5000 pet products, at
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at http://www.petpromenade.co.uk/

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