My parents want to feed the birds that visit their back garden in Sheffield. But they don't know if they should.
They go on holiday many times per year and sometimes for up to 2 months at a time. They worry if they fed the birds. Birds would become dependent on them and then suffer when they go on holiday. What do you guys think ? Should they feed the birds or not?
Thanks
Richard
Hi Richard, I've sometimes wondered this too, but in general I think feeding garden birds has a net benefit. Regarding dependency, I often take holidays resulting in the feeders being empty for weeks, but sometimes it only takes a few hours for birds to return. On the flip side, the birds in my garden largely disappear for weeks in the summer when food in the nearby fields and hedgerows is abundant, so I think they might only become dependant in harsh weather, which would be a good argument for feeding them during winter months. Here's a useful article 'Garden birds: to feed or not?' from the BTO that might help