FEEDING GUIDE

Hints for successful feeding.

Feeding wild birds has become very popular in recent years. Many people are now well aware that changes in agriculatural systems in the last couple of decades have vastly reduced the food supply available to wild birds. Consider for a moment arable land. Up until the 1970s, the bulk of cereals we sown in spring, and harvested in September or October. After combining, the stubble was left, before being ploughed in during March or April, and the next crop was sown. Leaving the stubble over winter provided a decent food source for birds, with decent amounts of spilled corn available.

Modern day agriculture is far more clinical, and sterile in approach. At no time is stubble left, and modern combines suck up virtually every last grain. Monoculture has also led to an increased reliance on pesticides, and field margins that previously supported wild flowers and weeds, which provide grubs and seeds for birds are now sprayed off. Coupled with this, housebuilding on greenfield sites marches on at an alarming rate. These two factors have had quite a devestating effect on wild bird populations.

In the last twenty or thirty years, many birds which were once abundant are now struggling to survive. By feeding wild birds in our gardens, we can help to make a difference. I will attempt to address the main questions relating to feeding wild birds below. If you have any specific questions you would like to ask, please email me - poltross@hotmail.com.

 

When?

NOW! Both the RSPB and the BTO strongly recommend that you feed birds all year round. A common misconception is that birds need food only when there is snow on the ground. This is far from the truth! Many people stop feeding birds in the spring, just at the time they need your help most. During the breeding season, it only takes a late frost, or a period of wet weather to have a devestating impact on wild bird populations. At this time of year, when birds are feeding young, they need access to a lot of food. A sudden spell of wet or cold can wipe out populations of grubs and insects that the birds rely on. At times like these, when natural food is scarce, our role in feeding the birds becomes even more vital. If birds are well fed over winter, and in good condition for the breeding season, they are much more likely to be successful in raising their brood.

A common question that is asked is whether birds will become lazy, and feed their young on the seeds you put out, rather than grubs and insects which they should have. It is now generally accepted by experts that birds will search around for natural food for their young if it is available. The food you put out is usually seen as a quick source of food for the parents themselves, though they will feed it to their young if nothing else is available.

 

How?

In order to attract the greatest variety of birds to your garden, you should aim to feed as wide a selection of birdfood as possible. Do bear in mind that different birds have different requirements.

Most people immediately think that if they put out a feeder with nuts in, then that is OK. What they fail to realise is that many birds simply can't cling on to nut feeders, nor do they have suitable beaks for extracting the food. Nut feeders are normally popular with members of the tit family, and the finches, although they are being increasingly used by other birds, such as sparrows, and even jackdaws!

Finches, Tits and sparrows are also seed feeders - their beaks enable then to crack open the husks, and extract the seed from inside. Many birds can't do this. Once common birds, such as blackbirds, thrushes and robins tend to be neglected! They are predominately ground feeders, and won't use feeders. They tend to prefer insects and grubs, but will eat feeds that have no husks, such as sunflower hearts, or peanut nibs, as well as rolled, flaked or chopped cereals.

 

A note on feeders.

One mistake that people regularly make is to use the wrong type of feeders. Does it really matter? YES, it does! Peanuts should never be fed from seed feeders, and feeding seed from peanut feeders is pointless, as it all drops through the holes.

At risk of being accused of teaching granny to suck eggs, I shall explain! There are lots of different types of feeders on the market, but they share one or two common features. Peanut feeders have mesh on them somewhere - it could be underneath, on the front, or all round. Normally it is wire, and the gaps are quarter of an inch across. This is the optimum size - it enables a bird to feed without damaging it's beak, but is small enough to prevent birds from taking whole nuts away. This is the important point about nut feeders - young birds can choke on whole peanuts, so nuts should always be fed from a mesh feeder.

Seed feeders are typically tubular, and made of clear polycarbonate. Feeding ports, usually with perches attached give the birds access to the seed. Some feeders aren't tubular, and may be in the form of a hopper, with holes on the bottom edge, from which the birds feed. Never feed peanuts from a seed feeder.

 

Where?

The location of feeders and tables is more important than you may think. When positioning feeders or tables, bear in mind the following points: A. Birds like to have a clear view from feeders and tables, so they can see if predators are around. B. Avoid positioning feeders and tables next to shrubs and other cover in which cats can hide. C. Birds do like a bit of cover for themselves - if there are trees nearby then the birds will appreciate this. D. Avoid putting bird tables too close to a window - if birds take fright for some reason they can fly into the window, injuring themselves. E. Avoid placing feeders too close to nesting boxes. Nesting birds will expend all their energy defending their territory, rather than concentrate on feeding their young. Avoid bird tables that have a built in nesting box at all costs!

 

Water.

Birds need water for bathing, and to aid their digestion. Make sure there is always some available to them, in a shallow container.

 

Jackdaws and Cats!

Probably the most common problems people have when they try to feed the birds is with jackdaws and cats. Personally, I don't have a problem with jackdaws - they are birds, and need to eat like any other! If they had attractive plumage and a nice song, people would do their best to attract them. Unfortunately, they're drab, greedy, and have a worse singing voice than the mother-in-law. By way of compensation, Mother Nature endowed them with a more substantial mental capacity than other birds. Jackdaws are highly intelligent birds. They can be clearly seen to work out ways of overcoming problems, such as how to extract food from a small feeder, when they have such huge, unweildly beaks! They're not really greedy either - they do fill their beaks, but they are big birds, and need lots of food. They do share food with their friends, and call to others to tell them there's some grub in the offing. If you really can't stand them raiding the bird table, then you can surround it with one and a half inch chicken wire. This allows small birds in, but prevents the jackdaws from taking the food. We usually put out large chunks of bread specifically for the jackdaws, away from the main feeding stations, which keeps then happy. Try to tolerate jackdaws - they aren't all that bad!

Cats can be far more of a pest than jackdaws. I'm happy with jackdaws, but won't tolerate cats. A cat that is wandering around under a bird table, or hiding in nearby bushes has only one thing in mind - nice crunchy chaffinches. Detering cats isn't all that easy. We've found that most of the so-called cat repellents have no effect whatsoever. Fortunately, there is one thing that cats don't particularly like, and that's WATER! A jug of water can be quite an effective deterrent, if used regularly. Unfortunately, after a time, they get wise, and take care when they hear a door opening. A far better alternative perhaps, as used by one elderly customer, is a pump-action waterpistol! This gentleman is something of a dab hand with the said device, and can hit a tomcat at 50 yards!!! Cat lovers amongst you will no doubt now be sending me angry emails. I should add perhaps that until recently, we always have had a cat. Augusta used to share our interest in birds. She was an avid bird watcher, and spent many happy hours observing their antics from the sitting room windowsill. Gussy was a cat who appreciated birds for aesthetic reasons, rather than culinary ones! A well fed, well trained cat normally has little desire to catch birds - a cosy bed is normally far more appealing!

 

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