Extensive knowledge
Wild Birds In The Cold
- by HOLLY BROOK
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- 11 Oct, 2018
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3 tips on how we can help our garden birds this winter.

It’s October and the weather is already getting drastically cooler. The leaves are changing colour and falling to the ground and the birds are looking for food and nests to keep warm.
We should always be doing our best to look after our environment and wildlife but with the incoming cold spell, it’s even more important to help provide food and shelter, especially for birds.
We've put together 3 really easy and things that you can do to help the birds out this winter;
1. Put feed out for them. Seeds, nuts, suet, fruit and insects provide high energy and protein that can help them keep healthy and can be inexpensive. A good idea is to put the food in a bird feeder and preferably up high out of the reach of any cats or other predators.
Did you grow sunflowers this year? Don’t throw out the heads! Birds will love picking the seeds out of the dried up flower!


3.
Offer shelter or nesting material . Any natural fibres including wool, cotton and jute can be left for birds to pick up and use to make their nests safe and warm. You could even gather up the loose pet fur that accumulates around the house and offer that to the birds. However if you are going to use pet fur, only use it if your pet has not been treated with flea treatment as this stays in the fur and can harm the birds. If you are offering wool or natural fibres in the form of string, be sure to cut it into lengths no longer that 4 inches to avoid them getting caught up and making it easier for the smaller birds to carry.


One of the ways we’ve started to care more for the local birds is by using our suet feeders to hang insect filled suet and natural jute in our garden.
Whilst you're looking after the birds don’t neglect other wildlife hiding out in your garden, like hedgehogs that may be struggling through the cold.
The RSPB have a great website with all the information you could need for when it comes to looking after the wildlife in your garden and local area.
They are also currently offering a free guide to the Wildlife In Your Garden
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/welcome-wildlife-to-your-garden/