As the weather turns colder and daylight hours grow shorter, our feathered friends in the UK need our help more than ever. Providing the right food, using suitable feeders, and offering safe nesting spaces can make a huge difference in supporting local bird populations. In this blog post, we’ll explore the best times of year to feed garden birds, the types of food they need, the best feeders to use, and when to provide nesters for the upcoming breeding season.
When to feed birds a seasonal guide
Birds in the UK have different needs throughout the year, and understanding when to feed them—and what to feed—can help them thrive in your garden. Here’s a breakdown of when and why you should provide food:
Autumn (September – November)
As the temperature drops, birds begin to need extra energy to survive the colder months. Autumn is a great time to start providing supplementary food for birds in your garden, especially as they prepare for the winter. You’ll notice more birds feeding on seeds, berries, and insects.
What to feed: Suet cakes, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. This is a great time to start using high-energy foods to help birds fatten up for winter.
Winter (December – February)
During the winter months, natural food sources become scarce, and birds need more calories to survive the cold. It’s important to keep feeding birds consistently throughout this time.
What to feed: High-fat foods like suet, fat balls, sunflower hearts, and peanuts. Offer seeds like mixed bird seed, as well as a reliable supply of fresh water to help birds stay hydrated. Be sure to clear ice from water dishes during cold spells (top tip - if you pop a tennis ball in your water dish for the birds, this will stop the water freezing)
Spring (March – May)
As the weather warms, birds begin to nest and feed their chicks. It’s a critical time for young birds, and they need extra nourishment to help them grow strong.
What to feed: Sunflower seeds, mealworms, and dried fruits. You may also want to offer a variety of seeds to attract a diverse range of species. Continue providing fat-based foods for energy.
Summer (June – August)
Birds are busy raising their young, and food is more plentiful in the natural environment during this time. However, supplementing their diet can still be helpful, particularly if there’s a dry spell or if you want to attract more birds to your garden.
What to feed: Continue offering sunflower seeds, nyjer seeds, peanuts, and mealworms. Many birds are feeding their young, so protein-rich foods are important. Consider offering nesting materials like twigs and moss to help with construction.
Types of Bird Feeders: Choosing the right ones for the garden
The right bird feeder makes all the difference in attracting the right species of birds to your garden and ensuring they can access food easily. Here’s a guide to the most common types of feeders and what they’re best for:
1. Long tube feeders
These are excellent for offering small seeds like sunflower hearts and mixed seeds. Tube feeders are particularly good for finches, sparrows, and other small birds. They help to prevent seed spillage and are easy to refill and clean.
Best for: Sunflower hearts, mixed seeds, and nyjer seed.
2. Nut Feeders
Nut feeders are ideal for peanuts and other nuts. These feeders allow birds like tits, woodpeckers, and nuthatches to access the nuts without them falling out of the feeder.
Best for: Peanuts (unsalted), hazelnuts, and other nuts. Always use a mesh or tube feeder designed for peanuts to prevent choking hazards.
3. Suet Feeders
Suet feeders are perfect for offering high-fat foods, which birds need to survive the winter. Suet cakes, fat balls, and other suet-based foods can be hung from trees or placed in specific suet feeders.
Best for: Suet cakes, fat balls, and suet plugs. Popular with tits, robins, and starlings.
4. Seed Trays
Seed trays are ideal for birds that prefer to feed from the ground, such as pigeons, doves, and some larger species. They can also attract small birds like sparrows and finches. Be sure to place the tray in a sheltered spot to prevent seed waste and protect birds from predators.
Best for: Mixed seeds, sunflower seeds, and ground feeding species.
5. Window Feeders
If you love watching birds up close, window feeders are a great option. These are small trays or suction-cup feeders that attach directly to your window, allowing you to observe birds from indoors.
Best for: Sunflower hearts, peanuts, or seed mixes.
When to buy nesters for garden birds: Timing is key
Providing nesting spaces for garden birds is essential, especially during the breeding season. Here's when to buy and set up nesters for garden birds in the UK:
Winter to early Spring (January – March)
Now is the time to start preparing your garden for nesting birds. Many bird species begin scouting for nesting sites as early as late winter, so it’s important to have your nest boxes set up before the spring breeding season starts.
What to buy: Buy nest boxes and other nesting materials (like twigs, moss, and straw) during the winter months to ensure birds have plenty of time to discover and settle in. Make sure the nest boxes are designed for the species you want to attract (for example, a robin box is different from a blue tit box).
Spring (April – May)
By now, birds will be actively looking for places to nest. Ensure that nest boxes are in a safe, sheltered area, away from predators like cats. If you're using a bird box with a hole, make sure the diameter of the hole is appropriate for the birds you want to attract.
What to buy: Additional nest boxes if you have a variety of species visiting your garden. Place them in trees, shrubs, or in quiet corners to provide safe spaces for nesting.
Summer (June – August)
By summer, many birds will have completed their nesting and fledgling process, but it’s a good time to check that your nest boxes are still in good condition for the next season. Clean them out carefully after the birds have left, so they’re ready for new tenants.
What to buy: Clean and repair existing nest boxes. All nestboxes should be taken down, old nesting materials removed, and the box should be scalded with boiling water to kill any parasites. Alternatively, if you’re planning for next year, now’s a good time to buy high-quality nesters for next spring.
Rodent alert:
Rats, mice & squirrels can be a common problem for bird feeders, as they’re attracted to the food. Here are several strategies you can use to prevent them from raiding your bird feeders.
What do you do: Try using a pole feeder and a baffle, this will stop, or deter at the very least, rodents from scaling to get the food. You can also use a little peppermint oil around the base of the feeders as this will repel them. Remember to clear any spillages and use feeders with smaller holes so it is harder for them to get at the feed. Rats, squirrels & mice are hungry too, but they can cause trouble, so if you combine these strategies, you can make your bird feeders less appealing to rodents, while still providing food for the birds.
Conclusion: Supporting your garden birds all year round
Feeding birds and providing nesting spaces are simple yet highly rewarding ways to support local wildlife in your garden. By offering food at the right times and choosing the right feeders, you can attract a variety of bird species while helping them thrive.
Remember to start feeding birds as the temperatures drop in autumn, and keep feeding them consistently through winter. In spring, focus on providing high-protein foods for parents feeding their chicks, and set up nest boxes early in the year to ensure safe spaces for breeding.
Whether you’re new to birdwatching or a seasoned enthusiast, your garden can become a haven for local birds. So, get your feeders, nest boxes, and food ready—it’s time to make your garden bird-friendly all year round!