Feeding birds near you

During the colder months, when natural food is more scarce and the risk from trichomonosis is lower, it’s okay to offer a full range of foods, including seeds and peanuts. 

Suet and mealworms are fine to feed all year round, but in colder months you can add seeds and peanuts too. 

See the table below for a quick guide of what and how to feed garden birds at this time of year. For more detailed advice across the seasons, explore our seasonal feeding guidance.

Many birds will eat a variety of foods including invertebrates, seeds, cereals and fruits. Here are some tips for foods you can provide during the colder months. 
 

• Mealworms 
  Mealworms are a great source of protein and lots of our feathered favourites love them. That includes Blackbirds, tits, Dunnocks, sparrows, Robins, Starlings, Wrens, Nuthatches, Pied Wagtails and Song Thrushes.  
  Top tip: soak dried mealworms in water to make them easier for nestlings to eat. 

• Suet (pellets, cakes and balls) 
  A high energy food rich in fat, suet is also enjoyed by a range of species, including Blackbirds, tits, Dunnocks, sparrows, Robins, Starlings, Wrens, Nuthatches, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Blackcaps and Song Thrushes. 

• Peanuts 
  From tits and finches to Nuthatches, Jays and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a variety of birds like to feast on peanuts, which provide a valuable source of protein and fat in the colder months. 

• Nyjer seeds 
  A tiny seed that’s oil-rich and energy-giving, nyjer seeds are a particular favourite of Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Siskins and Redpolls. 

• Sunflower hearts 
  Husk-free and rich in oil and protein, sunflower hearts are popular with lots of birds including tits, finches and sparrows. 

• Seed mixes 
  With a healthy variety of garden bird favourites, our seed mixes can attract a wide range of birds including Robins, tits, finches and sparrows. 

• Dried Fruit 
  Birds like Robins, Blackbirds and Song Thrushes will enjoy small amounts of dried fruits. However, you should only consider putting these out in pet-free gardens, as raisins and sultanas are toxic to cats and dogs. 

• Apples and Pears 
  Blackcaps, Blackbirds and winter thrushes will enjoy tucking into any bruised or unwanted fruit – just make sure it’s not mouldy! 

• Berries 
  Fruiting plants that provide natural foods, like blackberries, Rowan berries, Ivy berries and rosehips, can attract many species to your outdoor space. These include Blackbirds, Robins, finches, winter thrushes, Blackcaps, Woodpigeons, Starlings and, if you’re lucky, even Waxwings! 

Feeders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Here's what to look out for when choosing and caring for yours:

• Nut feeders made of rigid steel mesh are the only safe method of offering nuts to wild birds.
• Seed feeders are designed for sunflower seeds and seed mixes labelled feeder seed.
• Keep food as dry as possible.
• Choose feeders that prevent rain getting in and limit condensation.
• Make sure all feeders drain easily and don't allow a build-up of old food.

For more information and guidance, see our Bird Feeder Buying Guide.

You can put your bird feeder in all sorts of places, but aim for somewhere:   

• Quiet: where birds won't be disturbed.   
• Safe: not too close to bushes where predators could hide in wait, but close enough to cover so that birds can easily dart away. Birds like to have a view all around them while feeding.  
• Not underneath places where birds perch and nest, like branches. This will help avoid contamination through droppings.

Here are some tips to feed seasonally and safely during colder months: 

• Put out bird food and water through winter and spring, when natural food sources are more scarce 

• During these colder months when the risk of trichomonosis is lower, you can feed seeds, peanuts, suet and mealworms to support garden birds 

• Adjust the quantity given to the demand, and never allow uneaten foods to build up 

• Food in feeders should be eaten in one or two days, and suet eaten within 7 days 

• When refilling feeders, remove any old food first 

• Replace water daily 

During the summer and autumn months, birds also require high-protein foods especially when they’re moulting. Following our recent scientific review, we don’t recommend feeding seeds and peanuts between May and the end of October as the risk of spreading trichomonosis is known to be higher. 

• Ensure mealworms are all eaten or cleared away by dusk the same day (especially if scattered on the ground). This will help to prevent any leftover mealworms being consumed by Hedgehogs, which Hedgehog rehabilitators have raised as a concern. 

For a quick reference, see the table below.

Bird feeder hygiene is important and needs to be done weekly to help stop the spread of disease.  

Water containers should be rinsed out daily and refilled with fresh tap water (subject to location, see below*).

If you see a sick bird on your feeders, stop feeding altogether, thoroughly clean your feeders and store away from the garden (eg in the garage or shed). Only resume feeding after a month. Only resume feeding if no more sick birds can be seen.  

Some bird diseases can infect people. The risk is small, but it’s worth taking precautions. Wear gloves to clean your bird bath and feeders, and thoroughly wash your hands afterwards. Clean feeders outside with separate utensils. 

See more here

It’s good to provide a regular supply of clean water for birds. If you, or a neighbour, has a shallow-edged pond that allows birds to drink and bathe, or another source of fresh water, you do not need to provide supplementary water unless the pond has dried out or the water is frozen. 

Shallow containers, like dustbin lids or plant saucers, work well, but make sure you clean and disinfect them weekly. Replace the old water with fresh tap water every day and disinfect it weekly. 

We advise tap water as it is likely to provide more protection against diseases than rainwater. However, this advice differs if your water is chloraminated instead of chlorinated. You can find out how your water is treated on your water company’s website.* 

If you have chloraminated water, only use your tap water in a bird bath that’s off the ground. If it’s on the ground we recommend using rainwater that has been collected in a water butt with a lid (to prevent mosquitoes breeding). 

You could try one of the squirrel deterrents or baffles from our shop, or try plastic bottles, fixed so they revolve, slipped along the post.   

Scent deterrents can work well for cats. You could try using citronella, citrus fruit peel or Silent Roar cat repellent around your garden.  

The information on this page was guided by our conservation science team. Joelene Hughes, Principal Conservation Scientist, says;