Many of us have used time at home during lockdown to smarten up our patios, balconies and gardens, transforming them into comfortable outdoor spaces in which to welcome spring.
From fancy fruit and veg planters to sparkling new BBQs for al fresco cooking and dining, our gardens are shaping up to be the places to be this year. But it can be more than another space for you to eat and relax - it can be a safe spot for birds to stop for a quick bite too - with the help of a bird table or bird feeders.
What to feed birds
Just like a dinner party, you should know your guest’s tastes and needs when devising your menu.
For example, sunflower seeds and seed mixes (feeder seed) will attract tits, siskins and greenfinches, while fats like suet or bird cake could see greenfinches, sparrows tits, woodpeckers and maybe even wrens flocking to your garden.
Find more bird feeding advice at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ (RSPB) website.
When is best to feed birds?
According to the RSPB, the best time to feed birds is during the winter and early spring when their natural food supplies are low on the ground, twice a day if you can. Cold weather and frost means they’ll be more in need of high-energy food to keep their chicks and themselves sustained. In warmer weather, switch to high-protein nibbles like black sunflower seeds, mild grated cheese, mealworms and waxworms (yum).
Consistency is crucial. “Once you establish a feeding routine, try not to change it as the birds will become used to it and time their visits to your garden accordingly,” advises the RSPB.
Choosing a bird feeder
There are all sorts of designs available, from feeding stations, mesh feeders, baubles, trays and tables. Bird tables can be a simple tray, and they don’t always have to have a roof.
It should however, have a raised rim so that feed doesn’t tumble off in the wind, as well as a few drainage holes in the corners to allow rain and dew to trickle off.
This will also help you clean out droppings as well as any uneaten food, allowing you to lay on a fresh buffet for your aviary patrons.
While peanuts and fat balls are usually sold in nylon mesh bags, it’s important to remove them from this packaging before putting out food for birds. The tiny holes in the bags can spell catastrophe; trapping their feet, legs, or if they have a barbed tongue like a woodpecker, even their beaks.
“A large number of birds eat seeds and will be attracted to your garden if you hang up a peanut or seed feeder,” the RSPB advises. “Many different types and sizes are available, made from metal and plastic. Some even have a 'cage' around them to discourage squirrels and larger birds.”
It’s important to choose wisely, not only for the birds you want to visit but the dimensions and features of your garden or outdoor space too. With this in mind, we’ve rounded up the best designs to buy now, for gardens big and large.
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Kingfisher Bird Feeding Station
With over 1,700 ratings, this is one of the top bird feeding designs on Amazon. Shoppers love the stand design, which can be greased up to deter curious squirrels from getting their paws on the grub.
The other wonderful thing is the amount of species it attracts - one customer saw everything from “sparrows, blue tits, great tits, robins, starlings, blackbirds, collared doves, and wood pigeons perched on it”.
It comes with a water dish and mesh dish plus three brackets, all held on a single pole which has a sharp end that can be pushed into the grass.
You’ll need to buy extra feeders to suspend from the poles, but once done, you’ll have a fully fledged bird restaurant in your backyard.
Buy now £13.68, Amazon
RSPB My favourite’s feeder & favourites blend bird food
Who better to buy a bird feeder from than the experts themselves? This design is perfect for smaller birds like goldfinches, blue tits and great tits that prefer to cling when feeding. It’s made of strong plastic, so there’s little chance of it cracking or discolouring in the sunlight.
Plus the feeder is easy-to-clean and refill, so perfect for newbies and helping kids learn how to take care of birds. There’s a loop on the top to allow you to hang it from tree branches or hooks.
Best of all, it comes with 1.8kg of RSPB’s Favourites blend bird food, a mix made up of sunflower hearts, high energy sprinkles and dried mealworms so it’s packed with nutritious, high energy fat, oil and protein. A filling feast for your feathered friends.
Buy now £18.48, RSPB
FORUP Suet Bird Feeder, One Suet Capacity
This caged bird feeder is made for displaying high-protein feed, like suet cake. The powder-coated, weather-resistant finish, and little roof lets moisture run off without affecting the feed, keeping it fresher and edible for longer. Let the feeding frenzy begin!
Buy now £2.99, Selections
Wooden Garden Ornament Outdoor Hanging Swing Seat Bird Feeder with Mesh Tray
Invite birds to sit pretty in this precious garden swing-themed feeder. The novelty hanging feeding station features a base that’s easy to remove for cleaning and refilling with a fresh batch of seed or nut feed. It comes with a robust hanging chain which you can hang from trees or hooks so birds can land and nibble with ease.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
All In One Seed, Nut And Fatball Bird Feeder
Arrange a decent spread with this smart-looking metal and plastic feeder, which has space to store three kinds of food in one space - perfect for anyone with limited space. Simply twist off the lid to fill all feeding compartments at once and position on a branch or tree to watch the birds flock on.
Measures: 25 x 20 x 18cm.
Buy now £13.99, Amazon
Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball Ceramic Pomegranate Bird Feeder, Green
Baubles aren’t just for Christmas - they can be for bird feeding too! From Sophie Conran comes this discreet ceramic pomegranate-shaped feeder. Simply fill the inside with feed, and suspend from a tree branch or pergola by the sturdy metal hanger. Suitable to attract smaller birds.
Buy now £16.79, Bloomling
Hanging Lantern Bird Seed & Nut Feeder Green
It’s important to give birds fresh food, but it can be tough to find time to refill in our hectic schedules. Thankfully, this durable plastic feeder will keep feed fresh until the birds come for a bite. The lantern design features a swivel top, which makes it easier to restock feed when you need to, while the wide rim offers a perfect perching spot for small garden birds to take a break and refuel after a day’s flying.
There’s a round hanging hoop attached to the top, but if you plan to suspend this from a washing line or hook, you may want to invest in some S-hooks first.
Buy now £7.99, Amazon
Glendale Bird Table
A simple design makes a classy garden feature and this is one of the most elegant around. It’s essentially a large bird table with a peaked roof which is raised to the perfect height to allow small garden birds to perch and peck underneath.
Made from high quality painted timber designed to resist years of use and weather.
Buy now £74.99, Bird Food
Lindleywood Tudor House Bird Feeder
Help birds feel at home with this novelty feeder, designed like a Tudor house. The roof is removeable so you can clean the interiors easily and the design comes with full mounting and care instructions (including screws). Set it up and prepare for sparrows and blue tits to come flocking in.
Buy now £72.00, NOTHS
Garden Gifts Acorn Bird Nut Feeder
Squirrels are your number one enemy when it comes to snaffling feed meant for birds. Show the pesky little critters who’s boss with a caged feeder shaped like an acorn. The metal design is both decorative and practical, finished with a weathered bronze look to keep it from being too gimmicky.
The lid is a secure top, resting atop sturdy wire mesh which holds the bird food like nuts and peanuts securely while also offering a sturdy perch for visiting birds.
Buy now £24.99, Garden Gifts
Verdict
While size and design should play a part in your individual purchasing decision, the Kingfisher Bird Feeding Station comes out tops in our roundup. It boasts a number of feeding areas as well as a spot for birds to drink, perch and shoot the breeze. What more could you possibly want?
