However, the winter is a difficult time for our feathered friends. The combination of cold weather, short days and scarcity of natural foods such as berries, nuts and seeds puts birds under severe pressure. It’s not surprising to find that these creatures are increasingly turning to our gardens and relying on our support for food and shelter to help see them through. And, with many popular species such as house sparrows and starlings in decline, they need all the help they can get.
Birds’ main need during the winter is high-energy food. At this time of year, there is a risk of their body temperature dropping to a dangerous level if they do not have sufficient food or fat reserves to retain their body heat. The best thing we as garden owners can do to help them, is to make sure there is a constant food supply in the garden. Blackbirds love to peck at fallen apples and pears on the ground at this time of year, so just leaving out your fallen fruit is a big bonus. Also, keeping feeders and bird tables stocked up with a variety of foodstuffs such as seeds and peanuts will help thousands of birds survive and raise their nestlings. Or why not make your own bird cake by visiting the Wildlife Watch You Tube site.
Garden plants also provide essential food for birds - they shelter insects and their seed-heads are a welcome treat. For a wildlife-friendly garden, delay cutting back annual or herbaceous plants until the warmer weather comes in spring. This will not only cater for seed-feeding birds, but the withered foliage will also provide hiding places for overwintering insects and spiders, and so give insect–loving birds a feeding area too.
If you don’t have any natural food sources in your garden, why not consider growing some wildlife friendly plants. By opting for fruiting native trees such as hawthorn, rowan, dog rose and holly, along with seed producing wildflowers such as teasel, knapweed, and scabious, the birds will soon be flooding in.
Remember, water is just as important to birds in winter as food, so make sure you supply a plentiful supply for drinking and bathing. A shallow-sided container, at least 30cm wide and capable of holding up to 5cm of water, placed on the ground should be sufficient. If you have a pond it will most likely freeze over in a cold snap, so make sure you create a hole in it by placing a saucepan of hot water on the ice.
By doing your bit to help, you’re garden could become a vital refuge for birds and other native wildlife, providing you with an ever-changing cast of characters to watch and admire throughout the year.
2 February 2010
