Bird feeding

[ohgreatstew]

I don't doubt there are already threads on this topic, but as I couldn't quickly find them I decided to write this one....
It is generally accpeted that we should feed birds all year round now, but especially during the winter, I have always fed birds with peanuts and mixed seeds, however in an effort to attract more and different birds into my garden I would like some suggestions of what to feed and how it should be presented.... I should mention I live right next to open downland in Sussex but I have a small problem with the local rats, to be honest I don't mind them popping into the compost as they tent to but if I put food out openly for birds, simply on the top of a bird table my little furry friends will be up there in a shot, frighten away all the birds and eat there tea!!! So any rat proof feeding techniques are of special interest to me. I have plenty of places to hang and place feeders, boxes, trays etc.. and a bird table which I tend to hang things on rather than leave food in the open.
Fat balls - I sometimes buy these but the starlings destroy them in minutes, is there a better way of allowing other birds to get to these apparently delicious specialties, can I make my own, how would I do that and what should go in them???
Black sunflower seeds - I belive these are great for attracting certain birds, Jays are quite partial I belive, but how should these be left, is a seed feeder the best way or do they need to be left out in the open???
Other than this I would like to know what I can, should feed in order to encourage mroe birds into the garden......

Many thanks Stewart.

[AndrewB]

Hi Stewart,

There has been a recent thread on recipies for fatballs.

Do you have a good recipe for fat balls

Sunflower seeds are a definite winner. I started putting them out a month or so back, and now have around half a dozen greenfinches regularly visiting each day. Tits also love them as do many other birds.

They are best dispensed via a standard dispenser (not the caged type used for peanuts) but they are quite messy and you will quickly accumulate piles of used husks. As you have a table it should be OK to leave some out in the open, providing the rats dont continue to cause a problem, although the starlings will probably demolish them fairly quickly also.

Sunflower hearts are less messy but more expensive, unfortunately my budget wont quite stretch to them!

Good luck!

PS you could also try nyger seed to attract goldfinches. RSPB sell these ready filled dispensers which are great to start with.

http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/BirdFe...ird_feeder.htm

[Jenny W]

Hi,

The more different types of seed you put out, the more different species you will attract. Different species favour different seed types depending on a numer of factors including bill morphology, 'de-husking method', energy efficiency, plus others I'm sure. Generally bigger billed species will take bigger seeds and smaller billed species take smaller seeds as they are restricted by the bill size and species which de-husk parallel to the bill axis can crack larger seeds (something to do with leverage force they can create), but nutritional value/time taken to process the seed etc. comes into it too.

You can buy a simple seed mix which will contain a good amount of different seed types, or buy individual seeds depending on which species you are interested in attracting - eg. as Andrew says, if you want Goldfinches get some niger seed (they love the stuff!)

Also try different feeding methods too, as some species will take readily to feeders (finches, Tree Sparrows, tits etc.) but others won't (things like Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings if you have them around your garden) and will far more happily feed on the ground or on a table.

Hope this helps