Feed the garden birds

It’s an adorable sight so see: incoming and outgoing birds in the garden. Garden birds are grateful and low maintenance visitors. Birds are solely searching for food and a safe resting place. Growing urbanisation has made it harder for wild birds to find food and a nesting place. But our products can help you help the wild birds! An example is a feeding table or a bird house made especially for the sparrow, a 4-season mix of food or real peanut butter for birds. 

This is how you create a bird friendly garden

It really isn’t difficult to turn your garden into a warm and welcoming space for birds. But, merely some seeds or some hanging fat balls won’t do the trick. Let us give you some tips on how to transform your garden into a bird friendly space:  

1. Food: but not just that one pile of seeds. There are a number of 4-season mixes of food per bird variety that will give them the nutrition they need all year long. 
2. Nesting spaces: a wild bird’s biggest challenge is securing a safe nesting place. WIld birds prefer their resting place way up high and covered. Now, you are not expected to start planting trees in your garden. But getting your hands on some next boxes is a step in the right direction!;
3. Planting: the more varied your garden is, the more appealing it will appear to wild birds. You can easily make your garden interesting to wild birds with a good mix of different plants: high and low plants mixed with flowering and foliage varieties. 

Feed the birds

Most people think we should only feed our birds during colder months, but our flying friends need our help at any time. There are several bird feeders to keep our wildlife buddies fat, fed and flying! What do you think of:

• Niger seed feeders: these feeders are ideal to offer niger seeds goldfinches love! Temp goldfinches and other small beaked birds to choose your garden for their fresh daily-meal. The sturdy construction is UV-resistant and will not crack or discolour in sunlight. The base at the bottom of the feeder is easy to snap-off and refill.
• Suet pellet feeder: these typical feeders have a deep feeding dish which allows you to feed both living and dried mealworms or suet pellets. Hungry garden birds will visit your garden to feed themselves.
• Peanut feeder: these feeders are specially made for peanuts. These feeders come in varying shapes, for example, big peanuts, peanut ball feeders, peanut wreath feeders, and many more. A wide variety of birds absolutely love peanut feeders, like woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches, chickadees, jays and more. Many of their visits will be to carry peanuts off and cache them for a later meal.
• Ground feeder: these decorative garden ground bird feeders are easy to add to your garden. Just stick the pins into the ground and fill the plate with peanuts, seeds and other bird food.

Spot these wild birds in your garden 

Take a moment to look outside and count the different birds you see. There are several wildlife organisations that do the same. This is not only a fun activity but also a quite meaningful one. By counting the birds we see in our garden, we can make assumptions on the welfare of certain varieties. The most common wild birds in your garden are the sparrow, the robin and the thrush bird. Here you find some fun facts about these frequent visitors.

• Sparrows like to be in a pack. Thinking of helping out the sparrow? Hang a few nesting boxes together. This way you invite the entire family to come to your garden;
• Ever heard a sparrow hotel? This kind of nesting box was especially designed for the sparrow. The box has multiple entrances and a bit of extra room to allow for the Sparrow Family to rest here together;
• The robin might be one of the most curious birds ever. It’s a lot of fun to have robins in your gardens. They easily invite themselves onto your garden table or arm rest;
• Quite the opposite of the robin is the thrush bird. This bird is perhaps the most shy amongst wild birds. You won’t be seeing a thrush close to a feeding table. They are far too scared of other bird and wild animals. Hence, we advise you to scatter some bird food beneath a bush. This allows the thrush bird to find its food in peace.

Types of bird food available at Jones Garden Centre

At Jones Garden Centre we carry a wide range of bird food that is specifically designed for wild birds. Here are some of our favourite snacks for bird available:

• Bird seed mix: A blend of different seeds that are suitable for a variety of bird species, including sunflower seeds, millet, and canary seed.
• Suet cakes: High-energy cakes made from animal fat that provide birds with the energy they need to survive harsh weather conditions.
• Peanuts: Whole or crushed peanuts are a popular food for birds, particularly for species such as woodpeckers and nuthatches.
• Mealworms: Dried or live mealworms are a favourite of blue tits, robins, and other insect-eating birds.
• Niger seed: A tiny black and white seed that is a favourite of goldfinches and other small finches.
• Fat balls: Similar to suet cakes, fat balls are made from a mixture of bird seed, fat, and other ingredients.
• Fruit: Dried fruit such as raisins, sultanas, and currants, as well as fresh fruit like apples, can be offered to birds.

We advise you to remember to clean bird feeders regularly to prevent the buildup of mould or bacteria that can be harmful to birds. 

Tip: you can also make your own bird food! Homemade bird food can be a cost-effective and fun way to attract birds to your garden, and it's often made with ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. Make fat balls by mixing together equal parts of bird seed, suet, and peanut butter. Form the mixture into balls and place them in a suet feeder.

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