Look after your garden birds

Feeding

Feed regularly, and remove any food which has not been eaten after two days. Buy good quality seed, peanuts and other bird products (see our Wildlife section), and see our recipe for a simple 'wildlife treat'. Always offer peanuts in a purpose made mesh feeder.

Never feed kitchen scraps which are salty or highly flavoured.

If you are successful in attracting birds to your garden, you may need to provide several feeding points around the garden. And try to provide different feeding methods for your different birds – hanging feeders, ground trays, bird tables etc.

Clean all feeders and feeding trays regularly, and make sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards.

Providefresh water, particularly when it is dry or freezing.

Nesting

Nesting boxes should be put up in quiet corners of the garden where predators can't reach – 2 – 5 metres above the ground, and should face north to south-east.

Try to find fairly sheltered spots – protected from the worst weather and direct sunlight

Buy(or make) boxes with different size holes to attract different species – 28 mm for blue tits, 32 mm for sparrows, nuthatches and great tits, open fronted for robins.

They should be cleaned between September and January, and then left undisturbed for the rest of the year when they are most likely to be occupied.