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Bird food help

AvaAlnix
08/10/2023 08:59

Hey everyone,

Does anyone know what the best overall bird food and make is for garden wildlife? I always thought it would be a 'mix' of different seeds but I'm reading a lot to suggest sunflower hearts on their own is ok for most small birds?

I have a domed feeder mainly for robins and blue tits and a hanging feeder. 

I'm mostly seeing robins, blue tits, great tits and a couple of goldfinch but that was just to have a drink! 

I also have mealworms but just put a few out so as to not over do it. 

Thank you

Alex 

  • 08/10/2023 09:49
    Hi Alex

    Welcome to the community..what to and what not to feed birds gets discussed lots on here....in my opinion its trial and error although I have tried mixed feed before and ended up with too much waste and too many pigeons clearing it up.

    I feed sunflower hearts mixed with black sunflower seeds and most all my birds are happy to eat them although only the Long-tailed Tits prefer to have suet or fat balls...no particular brands and I don't buy in bulk.

    I also feed Niger which lots of folk say go untouched but my Goldfinches, bluetit, greattits , even siskins, redpoll and bullfinches eat them .

    As for mealworms.. usually very helpful during breeding season to feed live meal worms rather than dried ones that you need to soak in warm water before feeding.

    As I say this is only my personal opinion relating to my garden but as the colder times are ahead most of us will see a rise I garden visitor numbers and its important that we still all clean our feeders every week or so to stop the spread of disease between our birds....most folk don't know this and just hang feeders and refill whenever they are empty and never clean them which can sadly cause disease such as avian pox to spread among our feathered visitors and it ain't a pretty site.

    Anyhow as I say Welcome to the community and hopefully others shall be along soon to offer some of their own helpful advice ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • 08/10/2023 09:59
    Hi Linda,

    Thank you very much for the reply and advice. I welcome the Scottish accent, love it, I'm part Scottish myself ;)

    I know quite a lot about birds in general but perhaps more bird identification than the best food as I haven't really been able to feed them before. I'm not sure if I did the right thing but I came home from work about 5 weeks ago to see a robin waiting on the window sill.
    It made me think perhaps I could just get a couple of small feeders to help them out as it's getting colder (well except this week in Surrey)

    I have washed the two feeders I have each week but wondering how is best to do this. Is it washing up liquid and water or perhaps just water?

    I have one hanging feeder which I need to get some more food for and the little dome feeder which is perfect for the small birds, the blue tits and robin love it but I feel the food is a bit 'dusty'

    I'll add some dry mealworms for now and look at getting some live ones after Winter perhaps.

    Do you buy those foods separate and then mix them together? Can you safely add niger seeds for birds that don't eat them?

    Anyway sorry, lots of questions. I'm poised with my camera trying to get some good pictures!

    Thank you

    Alex
  • 08/10/2023 10:15 in reply to AvaAlnix
    Some birds will stand on window ledges looking at themselves in the reflection of the window...this ain't good and a waste of the birds energy...usually ends up pecking at the window thinking it's attacking another bird by defending its territory...often happens during breading season...not thatcam saying this is the case with your Robin ;-)

    I was my feeders in a huge bucket with warm soapy water (small amount of washing up liquid) and a bottle brush so it gets in all th nooks and crannies....rinse well with clean water and allow to drip dry..... I have actually had to put all my feeders away for a few weeks as I had 2 great tits turn up with what looked like avian pox ...and this is always advised to do so to let the birds disperse...its for the birds own good.

    Always soak the dry mealworms for a good 30 mins or so to rehydrate them before feeding.

    I buy the seeds separately and mix them...I find Niger is best fed from a Niger feeder as the seeds are so tiny and would simply end up on the ground when fed through another feeder......

    Always happy to help where I can....my cameraare always at hand aswell as I sit watching my visitors...look forward to hopefully seeing some of your photographs soon ;-)

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • 08/10/2023 10:33
    I've read about that and got some window stickers. To be honest I don't think that's what the robin was doing because of the way it's been, quite tame really. I do think it's a young one though, bless.

    Oh really, that's not good. I haven't seen anything like that but there aren't that many newcomers, just the blue tits, great tits and robin. Although there have been a few pigeons ground feeding and a jackdaw trying to hang on the feeder!

    So you can't feed them dry mealworms? One of the packs of mix I've got has dried ones in there, I hadn't realised they needed soaking.

    Ok that's good to know, thank you. They seem to like the food they have at the moment and I think I'll only keep the two feeders going for cost etc

    I've just been wondering how to add pictures actually. Unfortunately I just lost my memory card with some amazing pictures of Robin on it, very upset but have another one so will try and get some more whilst the leaves are still green :)
  • 08/10/2023 10:34
    I have a photography page on Instagram. I am by no means a professional but if you like a nice picture and use the app you can see them there as I can't see how to post on here.
    alexandrakate__photography
  • 08/10/2023 10:47
    It's not good re: my garden but I have plenty natural food planted for the wildlife to feed on so the garden is never quiet ;-)

    It's not that you can't feed them dried mealworms it's just that they don't have much nutritional value as live ones or pre soaked ones.

    Just keep an eye on you pigeon numbs they can rapidly increase if there is unwanted food being thrown from feeder onto ground by the birds ;-)

    To add a picture...click on reply like to usually do then Use rich formatting at bottom righthand side then from there you can add a photo but can't be any larger than 5.1MB

    Sorry I ain't on socal media

    (Pardon the Scottish Accent)

  • 08/10/2023 10:52
    That's good and same really for me and next door! The starlings were enjoying next doors apples earlier.

    Ok makes sense, thank you. I'll try and do that instead and certainly when it gets colder.

    We have lots of pigeons anyway as they feed on the grass. It hasn't made an increase that I can see but check it out.

    Ah brilliant ok, thank you! I'll try and do that then :)
  • 08/10/2023 18:07
    Hello Ava, welcome from another Scot, up at the very top of Scotland, in Caithness. I have a great variety of garden birds and feed, premium mixed seed, peanuts (always in feeders in the breeding season), sunflower hearts, Niger seed, and assorted fat balls. I find it is better to spend a bit more money on decent ones, rather than from the discount stores, they are much cheaper but can be harder and smell a bit. When RSPB have offers, you get a good deal and sometimes free postage, that's for the fat balls. The others I get locally from farmer feed stores. The birds seem to pick at all the different foods and nothing is wasted. Something to mention, have a water source available as well, so they can bath and drink, you don't need anything fancy, just a large pot, lid, basin, tray. Remember and clean it out regularly as well. Enjoy here, we are a nice group and always someone at hand to help.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • 08/10/2023 21:24
    Hey Catlady,

    Thank you very much for all the information. Wow, that's cool. I'm from very far down in the South East so opposite end :)

    I've already got a bird bath which I refresh daily. I've seen some drinking from it but not bathing. The robin likes to drink the spilt water on the ground.

    Yeah just need to not worry so much about the food side of it as was wondering if what I was putting down was ok but they seem happy and as long as they have a bit more help through the Winter.

    Alex