How to Feed & Care for Garden Birds
Posted: 24 Jan 2023What’s the best thing to feed garden birds?
Any food in the garden is better than no food, but providing a mix that is nutritional for birds is always advisable. There is no right or wrong answer as to what you can put out in your garden, it depends predominately on what birds you want to attract, as well as what season you're feeding the birds in.
We stock Honeyfield's Bird Food. Honeyfield's wild bird foods contain cereals and other seeds grown on Fair to Nature farms. These farms grow special areas of seed-bearing crops to provide food for farmland bird species, such as linnets, skylarks, and buntings. This means that Honeyfield's bird food not only feeds the birds in your garden but looks after the birds in our countryside too!
Peanuts 
A high energy, no mess wild bird favourite. Peanuts are packed with oil and protein, an ideal feed to help the birds,not only through the winter, but all year round. Peanuts should ideally be fed using a hanging peanut feeder. Loved by Robins, Blue Tits, Woodpeckers and Long Tailed Tits.
Nyjer Seed
A Goldfinches favourite, high in oil. Can be fed on its own, or added to favourite mixes. Also great for Greenfinches, Chaffinches and Bullfinches. Ideally fed through a Nyjer Seed Feeder, all year round.
High Energy Wild Bird Food
A high energy formulation containing suet pellets. Suitable for use with hanging, table and ground feeders, anytime of the year. Especially loved by Thrushes, Robins, Goldfinches and Blue Tits.
Sunflower Hearts
Sunflower hearts are high in oil and are a no mess food that’s full of energy. A great all year round feed Loved by many wild birds, especially Finches and Tits.
Won’t Grow Wild Bird Food
As a no mess mixture, this is ideal for patio areas where uneaten seeds won’t germinate. Suitable for use with ground and table feeders. Great as a summer feed. Loved by Bullfinches, Long Tailed Tits, Collared Doves and Nuthatches.
Suet & Fat Balls
Suet Feeders and Fat Balls are often a winter treat. Birds require high-energy (high-fat) foods during the cold winter weather to maintain their fat reserves to survive the frosty nights so fat balls are perfect for that time of year. They can also be put out in the summer but are prone to spoiling due to the warmer weather. Suet is a popular food for many different types of birds, both large and small. Please note: There are many other options available for wild birds. We have just featured a selection in this article to show the variety.
Don’t forget fresh water
Fresh, clean water is essential for birds. Bird baths provide garden birds with fresh, clean water all year round. During the warmer months birds can
struggle to find sources of water for drinking and bathing, so adding a bird bath to your garden will help them thrive. Most small birds need to drink at least twice a day to replace the lost water. Bathing is an important part of feather maintenance. Dampening the feathers loosens the dirt and makes their feathers easier to preen. It is important to wash their feeding and water stations regularly to prevent transmission of diseases. Ensure they are fully dry before refilling.
Tip
In freezing conditions, bird baths and garden ponds become even more important, since many natural sources of water are frozen over. It can be difficult to stop a bird bath from freezing, but try these simple methods:
• A light ball floating in the water will be moved by even a gentle breeze, & will keep a small amount of water ice-free
• Pour on hot water to melt the ice
Nesting Boxes
British birds are short of nesting holes, and there are plenty of reasons why. We can help!
National Nest Box Week is held every year 14th - 21st February. We encourage customers to add a nest box to their
garden over this period because this is when birds start to pair up for the nesting season. We have plenty of nest boxes for a variety of birds here at Meadow Croft.
Purchase a bird box and help us re-populate our bird species.
To find out more about National Nest Box Week, click here
