Winter is Coming for the Birds of Britain; here’s how to do your part to help them through it

With experts predicting a harsh winter is looming, it’s even more important for people to provide food and water for the birds that overwinter here in the UK.

Bird food can be offered through hanging bird feeders, or bird tables, and there’s a whole range of food you can put out;

• fatty foods such as mealworms are a decadent favourite of many birds that you can buy dry from most garden centres, and fat balls specially made for birds are also well received - you can make these from home if you’re up for it, using recipes from sites such as RSPB

• seeds, for example peanuts and sunflower hearts, are also a good source of fats though you must make sure they’re suitable for birds and don’t have any salt which could make them ill

• fruit like apples and pears also make great food for birds, and they’re easy to get from your local supermarket

If you don’t get birds flocking to your garden straight away when you start leaving food out for them, it may be that they just haven’t found your garden yet and may take longer to discover the new food source your providing. Or, it could be that the birds in your area just don’t like what you have on the menu, and you should try putting out another food for them. There’s also some important things to remember when feeding your birds. You need to clean out your bird feeders every month or so to make sure any leftover food doesn’t start to rot. You also need to make sure that, if you have any pets such as dogs or cats, you make sure the food you put out won’t harm them in case they manage to get hold of it.

As well as food, it’s really important that birds have access to water, even a small saucer can be an incredibly useful commodity for birds to drink from in the winter months when a lot of water sources freeze over.

Birds are a fantastic addition to every garden, eating pets and creating a lively atmosphere. Remember, a bird’s struggle doesn’t end when winter does, and the next big hurdle you can help them get through is their nesting and breeding seasons in the spring.

Eloise Harrison, Queensmead