Town and country gardening supplies

All you need to know about feeding wild birds

Which feeder for which bird?

Mesh feeders: fill these with whole peanuts (though not during the breeding season) to attract tits, nuthatches and, if you're lucky, spotted woodpeckers. Avoid using nylon mesh bags for peanuts as birds can get trapped in these.

Seed feeders: these are generally made from clear plastic and have holes with perches below them to attract finches and other seed feeders. You can make a simple version from an old plastic drink bottle. Specialist niger (known as nyjer for political reasons) seed feeders are good for goldfinches and siskins.

Fat feeders: these are easy to make yourself, will attract tits in particular and are especially good in the winter. You can buy holders and make or buy fat balls to put inside, or buy ornamental feeders ready-stuffed with fat and seed mixtures.

Coconuts: halve and drain fresh coconuts to hang from a tree or bracket. You can also use the empty shell as a fat feeder or buy them from our store .

Seed trays: simple open containers that can be put out on their own or attached to the bottom of an existing feeder to stop seed dropping on the ground and encouraging rats.

Cage feeders: if you have squirrels and large birds such as magpies hogging the feeder, get one surrounded by a cage so only small birds can reach the food. This also affords them some protection from attack by sparrowhawks and other predators.

Hanging feeders: hang feeders from a tree, a pole in the lawn or from a wall bracket. Make sure they're out of the reach of cats either from the ground or via an overhanging branch or fence.

Ground feeders: many birds prefer to forage at ground level. You can still cater for these with seed and peanuts in a ground hopper. These can also be surrounded by caging for protection. Site them well away from plant cover where cats could set up an ambush.

Take a look at the variety of bird feeders we stock .

What to feed which birds

Live food: parents need protein-rich food to raise their chicks. Mealworms are available at and are particularly important during spring and early summer. A blue tit will feed hundreds of caterpillars and insects to its chicks during the breeding season, so encourage these in your garden naturally with plants.

Peanuts: don't leave out whole peanuts, or other dry hard foods during the spring or summer months as young chicks can choke on them. Crushed peanuts are better and will attract robins and dunnocks amongst others. Always buy them from a reputable supplier so they don't contain aflatoxins, which are poisonous to birds.

Sunflower seeds: put these in a plastic feeder or on a tray. They'll attract a range of species and are safe for year round feeding. Buy sunflower hearts without the seed casing for less mess.

Seed mixes: these can be good for attracting a variety of species, but to target smaller birds, use single seed or mixes that don't contain cereals such as oatmeal and wheat.

Nyjer (Niger) seed: these very small seeds fall out of most feeders. Mix them with other seed in a plastic feeder or put them on a tray. Finches are particularly fond of nyjer (niger).

Coconut: cut a fresh coconut in half, drain and hang it up for tits. Avoid desiccated coconut as this can swell up in bird's stomachs.

Fats: to survive the cold, small birds such as blue tits must eat a quarter of their body weight in food each day so high protein foods and fat are needed. Put out unsalted, finely chopped bacon rinds, solidified dripping or grated hard cheese.

Natural food: plant bird friendly trees and shrubs for a continuous food supply. Holly and ivy are good winter food producers for woodpigeons, thrushes and blackcaps amongst others. Spindle berries play a vital role in keeping robins alive over winter.

When to do what

Putting food out in winter probably saves the lives of up to a million garden birds a year. The RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology both suggest that you feed birds all year round, but some do have particular seasonal needs as above.

The RSPB advises making sure that bird feed is available early in the morning and late at night, especially during winter and autumn. At these times in particular, birds need a quick energy boost.

In spring, live food is ideal for birds with chicks, even those that normally feed on seeds, such as finches and siskins. Buy mealworms, for example, to put out on a tray feeder.

Clean feeders regularly and often — salmonella can spread amongst your garden visitors. Use boiling water or buy specialised cleaning products that don't harm wildlife. It's particularly important to remove old or stale food from a seed tray.

It's particularly important to remove old or stale food from a seed tray if you have one.

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