how do i get birds to come into my garden

[Pudding]

Hi

I have not long moved into my new home and i have woodland all around me
but not one bird in my garden.
i have put up nut's and fat balls and a bird box, they have been up a week now, and still no sign of any birds. and the nuts have not been touched
will they come, what eles can i do

[artdemole]

The birds have to get used to food being there,it takes a week or two.Try some seed or bread that they can see.A dish of water helps.They might just be foraging the hedgerows because of the recent cold spell.It might help to move thins a bit till they get used to it..psj n.e.somerset

[Dinasaw]

Hi Pudding!
I agree with artdemole : put food scraps on the ground as well as 'hangers'. I too live in a rural place - 'my' birds never touch peanuts and aren't keen on the fat balls either, but they come for the hanging seed-feeders, and bread and fruit on the ground. Whereas my neighbour has all kinds of birds visiting an assortment of types of food and positions. You just can't tell what will work - but be patient and I'm sure you will be rewarded when the birds get used to what you are doing.

[Dave66]

I agree with Dinasaw, It can be trial and error finding out what the local birds like. Also remember their taste may change through out the year. At the moment it takes about a week for my seed feeders to empty but as soon as spring is here I have to fill them every two days.

Good luck

Dave.

[Monika]

I find sunflower hearts are very popular, used in a wire netting (peanut) feeder and mixed with those suet pellets one can buy now. Some seeds will fall through the netting but that will encourage the birds to stay around an look for me.

And currants and porridge oats will attract the ground feeding birds, too.

And I agree with the others, birds take some time to find a new source of food and will then return.

[nikolai_avenger]

It may well be that once a few birds realise that your garden is actually a source of food then others will soon notice them feeding there and latch on to that fact as well, if that makes sense.




Regards, Nik.

[Longtail]

Yes, agree with all the above.

We started feeding in our garden from scratch about 9 months ago, Started with standard covered bird table which only had passing interest from Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons (all too big to fit comfortable really!). We added a multi-feeder stand in November. Not a dickie-bird (excuse the pun) for weeks and weeks. Just as we were losing heart a few Coal Tits started regularly chomping on the peanuts, then we got some Goldfinches which always visited a few doors up and since then it's been great. Also get Bue Tits, Great Tits, Robins, Long Tailed Tits and Wren.

I think it's a combination of patience and experimenting with different things. The Goldfinches used to ignore our garden but make merry 2 doors up. When we swapped the mixed seed to Niger Seed we saw them feeding within a few days (could easily take longer though I think as they of course have to discover there's been a positive change, having previously turned their beaks up at it).

So, my advice Pudding would be to chop and change what you're putting out and where you're putting it etc - but above all patience!

Very best of luck

[Geoff F]

Like all properties, location is the key to desirability!

Start with feeders at least 4 ft off the ground and a reasonable distance from the house. Put them in a clear space but close enough to cover, like shrubs or trees, so the birds can gather together in safety before risking a quick visit to the feeders.

They will need to feel safe before feeding from the ground in an open area.

Keep the design of feeders as simple as possible; far too many are designed to test bird IQ instead of being easily accessable. Only certain types of birds will readily feed from a hanging feeder and even these, like tits, take a bit of time before feeling happy with some feeders.

I find a very simple flat topped traditional bird table attracts the greatest variety of visitors.

So if your feeders are well positioned, just wait. But remember to change any seed or peanuts that starts to look mouldy.