Helping birds near you

Feeders come in a variety of shapes and sizes. 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. Make sure all feeders drain easily and do not allow build-up of old food. For more information and guidance on finding the right feeder for your needs, 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 to and from. Birds like to have a view all around them while feeding. 
• Sheltered from harsh winds.  

Many birds will happily eat a variety of foods, but here are some of our top tips for feeding the birds:  

• Blackbirds mostly feed on the ground and will eat a broad range of foods, from suet nibbles to mealworms. 
• Blue Tits and Great Tits use a feeder, eating seeds as well as suet and peanuts. 
• Finches, including Chaffinches and Greenfinches, also use a feeder, and they love sunflower hearts.  
• If you’re keen to attract Goldfinches or Siskins, try Nyjer seeds as they both seem to love them. Nyjer seed is also popular with Greenfinches and Redpolls.  
• House Sparrows, Dunnocks and Collared Doves prefer to feed on the ground and will be attracted by small seeds. 
• Suet balls and other fat-based food bars are excellent high energy giving foods for winter and popular with a wide range of birds.  
• Mealworms are especially popular with Robins and Blue Tits and may attract other insect-eating birds such as Pied Wagtails. 
• Be sure to look for good quality bird food – those that don’t include ‘fillers’ such as dried peas and beans, red dari and wholewheat that birds rarely eat.  
• You can also put out leftovers such as dried fruit, or fruit such as apples and pears. Don’t use anything mouldy or salty though, and if you have a dog don’t put out dried fruit – vine fruits, such as raisins, can be toxic to them. 

Bird feeder hygiene is very important. Brush off debris every time you put out fresh food and scrub feeders with mild disinfectant solution weekly. Move the feeders from time to time to stop droppings building up underneath. Water containers should be rinsed out daily, especially during the warmer months, and allowed to dry out before fresh water is added.  

If you see a sick bird on your feeders, stop feeding altogether, thoroughly clean your feeders and store away from the garden (e.g. in the garage or shed). Only resume feeding after 2-4 weeks, but stop and repeat the process if you see any more sick birds.  

Some bird diseases can infect people. The risk is small, but precautions are worth taking. Wear gloves and thoroughly wash your hands after cleaning bird baths and feeders. Clean feeders outside with separate utensils. 

It’s good to provide a regular supply of clean water for birds. It’s particularly important in the winter and in dry weather. Shallow containers, like dustbin lids or plant saucers, work well, but make sure you clean them regularly. 

You could look into investing in a squirrel buster feeder. The weight of a squirrel (or large bird) causes the feeder ports to shut, so they can’t access the food.

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

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

Put out bird food and water on a regular basis through autumn and winter. In severe weather, you may find you need to feed twice daily. Birds need high-energy, high-fat foods during cold weather. 

Always adjust the quantity given to the demand, and never allow uneaten foods to build up. Once you have a feeding routine, try not to change it as birds will become used to it. 

During the spring and summer months, birds also require high-protein foods, especially while they’re moulting. Be careful with peanuts, fat and bread during spring and summer. If you want to feed peanuts only do so in rigid mesh feeders that will not allow sizeable pieces to be removed, since these could be a choking hazard to chicks. Home-made fat balls can melt in warm summer weather, and should be avoided. The RSPB Super Suet products are resistant to melting in heat.

Give birds a nest box and keep them coming back to your garden year after year. If you want to see the chicks as they grow, you could fit a nest box camera before the breeding season starts.

You don’t have to do anything about a bird nest in your roof. Many birds use roof spaces for nesting and usually don’t do any harm. All wild birds and their active nests are protected by law, making it illegal to remove or block off an active nest.

Learn more about what to do if you have birds nesting in your roof.

Almost certainly no. All birds their nests and eggs are protected by law: the Wildlife & Countryside Act of 1981. This makes it illegal, with certain exceptions, to deliberately take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built. It is also illegal to take or destroy the egg of any wild bird. 

Cutting back shrubs is best left until autumn and winter, unless you're absolutely sure that birds aren’t nesting there. Hedges and some shrubs also offer berries to birds in winter, so consider pruning and trimming after they’ve been eaten.