Birds in your garden
A garden which naturally provides a bird friendly environment will be popular with them. So the first step to attracting birds to your garden is to provide the three basic resources;
- shelter
- food
- water
Putting up a nest box is a simple way of encouraging wildlife into your garden. Natural nest sites such as hollow trees or cavities of old buildings are fast disappearing. By putting up a nest box you can provide nesting birds with a suitable home. It is estimated that over 2 million chicks are reared in nest boxes each year, so please help by putting a nest box in your garden, school or workplace.
Hanging bird feeders and providing bird seed and suet balls is a simple way to encourage birds to your garden. Providing a range of different seeds will ensure that there is something to feast on for every species that visits your garden. Niger seed is a particular favourite of finches, whilst robins are partial to dried mealworms and dunnocks and tits seem to prefer the smaller grains found in the seed mixes. Unsalted peanuts are popular with most garden birds - and you may even see an opportunistic grey squirrel or wood mouse feasting on your peanut feeders! If you are feeling creative, you could also make your own bird feed cakes to hang in your garden - download our recipe here.
Adding some interesting plants to your garden can also provide natural food sources for birds including berries, seeds or insects which will be attracted to the plants. Plants such as spindle, fruit trees, holly and bramble are good sources for berries, clematis, sunflower and teasel are good for seeds, and buddleia, honeysuckle and herbs will attract insects which the birds will feed on.
As well as drinking the water, birds need to bathe to keep their feathers clean and in good condition. By putting in a bird bath or creating a pond you will be providing a body of water that the birds can use for these purposes. A pond also has the added bonus of providing breeding sites for many species of amphibians and invertebrates.
Our partnership with Vine House Farm offers you the chance to buy many wild bird foods that are grown on its own conservation award-winning farm and because Vine House Farm is comitted to reducing its impact on the environment, as much produce as is possible is sourced from within the UK.
