The RSPB has updated its advice on feeding garden birds, and if you put out food for the birds in your garden it is well worth knowing what has changed before summer. The message in short: feed safely, and feed seasonally.
What has changed?
Working with the British Trust for Ornithology and the Institute of Zoology, the RSPB now recommends pausing seed and peanut feeders between 1 May and 31 October. The reason is a disease called trichomonosis, a parasite that affects a bird's throat and makes it hard for them to swallow. It has driven steep declines in greenfinches and chaffinches, and the greenfinch is now on the UK red list of conservation concern.
THE HEADLINE RULE
From 1 May to 31 October, pause seeds and peanuts. You can still offer small amounts of mealworms, fat balls and suet all year round.
Why pause seeds and peanuts?
Trichomonosis spreads when infected birds drop or regurgitate contaminated food, which is then eaten by others. Tellingly, RSPB research found the parasite was not on the feeders themselves, but on the food inside them, in base trays and on the ground below. Finches favour seeds and turn to peanuts when seeds run short, which puts them at particular risk where birds gather in numbers.
There is also plenty of natural food around in spring and summer, so garden birds cope well when seed and peanut feeders come down for a few months.
What to feed instead
You do not have to stop feeding altogether. The RSPB advises offering small, daily amounts of high-protein, energy-rich food, which is exactly what breeding and moulting birds need through the warmer months.
- Dried mealworms are high in protein and instinctively recognised by garden birds. In spring and summer you can soak them in water for a few minutes to make them easier for nestlings to eat.
- Calci worms are rich in calcium, which supports eggshell formation and healthy bone development during the breeding season.
- Fat balls give birds a concentrated hit of energy. Ours come without plastic nets, which is safer for birds and wildlife. In summer, place them in shade, as fatty foods can soften and spoil quickly in direct sun.
Whatever you offer, keep portions small and remove any leftovers by dusk so nothing spoils overnight.
Five ways to feed safely this summer
- Clean weekly. Wash feeders and bird baths every week with hot, soapy water and either a mild 5% bleach solution or a pet-safe disinfectant, then rinse and dry them well.
- Move feeders around. Shift feeders to a fresh spot each week so droppings and spoiled debris do not build up in one place.
- Refresh water daily. Change your bird bath water every day, and keep it topped up and in shade during hot spells.
- Skip flat surfaces. Avoid bird tables, window trays and flat feeders, where contaminated food gathers easily. Hanging tube feeders are a safer choice.
- Small and often. Put out only what will be eaten in a day, and clear away anything left by dusk.
Spotted a sick bird? If you see a bird that looks fluffed up, lethargic or is struggling to swallow, take your feeders and baths down for a couple of weeks and clean them thoroughly before you start again. This gives the local population time to disperse and reduces the risk of spreading disease.
Supporting your birds this summer
Feeding seasonally does not mean an empty garden. Our mealworms, calci worms and fat balls are all well suited to summer feeding under the RSPB's guidance, giving breeding and moulting birds the protein and energy they need while you keep everything clean and fresh.
You can read the full, official guidance on seasonal feeding and hygiene on the RSPB How to help garden birds page.
Feed safely this summer
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