During the winter the birds in your garden may need a little extra help to find enough food to help them survive.
In the winter their natural food sources like berries and fruit are not as easy for them to find and their foraging time is less due to the days being shorter and the nights being longer.
Providing the correct food through the winter months will help wild birds get the extra energy and calories they need to help them to maintain their fat reserves and keep them warm through the cold winter months.
High-Energy foods such as sunflower seeds, nyger seed and peanut bites are rich in oils and proteins that will assist in keeping the wild birds healthy all winter long.
A winter warmer seed blend is also a great way of providing essential proteins and fat, as they contain a balanced mixture of high-energy seeds and suet treats.
Fat balls and suet-based foods are great for the winter, as they provide the birds with some of the extra calories that they will need.
Filling feeders twice a day will allow the birds to replenish their energy levels at the start of each day, and again before dusk giving the birds energy to keep them warm through the night.
It is important to clean feeders and bird tables regularly, you can do this by removing left over food and bird droppings; you can also use a mild disinfectant to kill off any bacteria, this will prevent diseases passing from one bird to another.
Feeding birds through out the whole year will help if there is a natural food shortage and birds will also become familiar with where your feeders are.
In the spring and summer remember not to feed hard seeds, bread, peanuts or fat based foods as these can be harmful if an adult bird feeds it to their babies.
