The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has issued a stark warning to UK households, urging them to stop using traditional bird tables this winter. The call comes as snow blankets large parts of the nation and temperatures plummet, creating a perfect storm for the spread of dangerous diseases among garden bird populations.
The Hidden Danger on Your Bird Table
While providing extra food is crucial during cold snaps, the RSPB states that flat surfaces like bird tables pose a significant health risk. Evidence indicates that damp food and seed left on these wooden platforms can become a breeding ground for parasites and bacteria. The charity, which stopped selling flat bird tables in early 2025 as a precaution, explains that infected birds can leave contaminated saliva or droppings where others feed.
This environment primarily facilitates the spread of Trichomonosis, a parasitic disease that has caused a devastating 66% decline in UK Greenfinch numbers. Flat surfaces also harbour rotting food and waste, allowing Salmonella to thrive, a bacterial infection particularly prevalent at feeders in winter and spring.
How to Feed Birds Safely This Winter
The RSPB's guidance, shared in a recent Facebook post, recommends a shift to safer feeding methods to protect "local feathered friends." The key advice is to use hanging feeders for suet, peanuts, and seeds instead of flat tables.
The charity also provides essential hygiene tips:
- Do not overfill feeders; only provide enough food for a couple of days.
- Wash feeders regularly with a mild disinfectant and air-dry them thoroughly.
- Sweep up any spilled seed underneath feeders and move the feeders' locations periodically.
- Change the water in bird baths frequently.
Natural Alternatives for Winter Nutrition
Beyond feeders, the RSPB encourages gardeners to support birds naturally. Planting shrubs like hawthorn, holly, and ivy provides brilliant winter food and shelter. Sunflowers and teasels offer seeds for species like Goldfinches, while their hollow stems can shelter overwintering insects—another vital food source.
Creating leaf piles in autumn attracts insects, creating a natural larder for birds during the colder months. This approach not only aids survival but also helps gardeners prepare for the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch at the end of January.
With the Met Office issuing multiple snow and ice warnings across the UK on January 6, 2026, and conservation groups noting that harsh winters can slash bird numbers by 50% or more, these simple changes could make a life-saving difference for the nation's garden wildlife.
