The RSPB has advised UK households to resume leaving out seeds and peanuts for birds from November, following a seasonal pause aimed at reducing the spread of disease.
Seasonal feeding guidance
The charity had urged gardeners, bird fans and amateur ornithologists to stop feeding birds seeds or peanuts from May 1 to October 31. It is concerned that feeding seeds and peanuts in the spring and summer months, although well-meaning, is actively spreading diseases.
The RSPB said research has shown a worrying decline in some much-loved garden birds due to a disease called trichomonosis, which is highly contagious and can spread where birds gather in large numbers, such as at bird feeders.
Expert backing for winter feeding
Bird expert Jenny Shelton of The Wildlife Trusts supports the guidance, saying that feeding seeds to birds is vital in colder weather. She said: “People’s gardens are so important in giving birds a helping hand now that finding food in the countryside is not so easy and there’s fewer insects.
“Many garden birds are particularly vulnerable to the cold. Tiny wrens are the weight of two teaspoons of sugar. They don’t have much body fat and need to keep warm.”
Precautions for safe feeding
Shelton advises keeping bird feeders clean and topped up, and feeding between November and April, when natural food is hard to find and disease risk is lower. She also suggests retiring flat bird tables in favour of mobile hanging feeders rotated around a garden, as they prevent waste building up underneath.
She recommends leaving out fresh, clean water, especially during a cold snap. “A bird bath is nice if you’ve got something a bit more grand,” she said. “But you can leave water in something as basic as a plant drip tray or little shallow dish, for them to come and feed from. Just keep it topped up and ice free.”
Decline in garden birds
The RSPB noted that greenfinches have dropped by over 65% in the last three decades. When the Big Garden Birdwatch started in 1979, greenfinches were at number seven in the top ten birds seen; this year they were down to number 18.
The charity added: “The latest RSPB guidance is to feed birds seasonally and safely to avoid the spread of disease. You can do this by cleaning and moving feeders weekly, changing the water in water baths daily and avoiding the use of flat-surfaced feeders such as bird tables. It’s also recommended you pause the provision of seeds and peanuts between 1 May and 31 October.
“Stopping the spread of disease is a challenge we can’t tackle alone. By taking these simple steps to feed seasonally and safely, we can all help protect the future of our birds.”
Last year, the RSPB banned the sale of flat bird feeders pending further investigation after concerns they could be spreading the disease.
