Do you feed the birds?

We have a humingbird feeder, and I will put out a suet block in the deep winter (weather below 0c, or when there is snow cover).

I live in a town surrounded by forest, so no real need to feed them.

I don't feed the birds anymore .
I used to .
There are four marauding cats next door and they love my garden - lots of freshly dug areas to poo in and plenty of jungle in which to hide and kill birds .
They activities have caused massive rows with other bird loving neighbours .
I've tried feeders and they were destroyed by squirrels .
I once watched the youngest pussy cat swinging madly on the bird feeder .
I'd suspended it on a trellis arch .
I soon discovered that this was very much her favourite perch .
She used to sit on top of it and look out for the birds .
Naughty as she was I was really upset when she run over and killed .
Her big fat replacement is also a very good birder .

Rats like cover, to be hidden. They like undergrowth, thick low bushes and shrubs and vegetation. Unless you can see clearly the perimeters of your garden at ground level you won't necessarily see vermin. So leave food in your garden at your risk.

They aren't daft, and hate clear space where they can be seen, and broad daylight, usually. Rest assure if bird seed is dropped in the garden they will find it.

I've always cut all shrubs, firs, ferns etc. and any thick growth up 10-12 inches from the bottom. I would easily see one from one of my windows.

Rats like to run alongside the bottom of fences and walls as that's where they often have cover and feel less exposed...and if detected will come out for food [like dropped birdseed for eg., bread etc].

All told to me by a pest control worker we knew, btw.

I only buy bird food in the cooler months, just putting out the odd suitable scrap in the summer.

Filled my bird feeder with peanuts for the first time this autumn yesterday and my first guests were a jay and a squirrel!

Even bird feeders - the non human kind- can encourage rats.

We used to but read that the RSPB advised against it. That and the rats and the fact that we live near a Hawk and Owl trust… we were just making it easy for the raptors to find their dinner.

The woman below wasn't very impressed to step and see what the weather was like, and get a load of mashed potato on her head. 🤭

Fleurpepper

Research has shown that birds should not be fed in breeding season- as chicks need protein from insects, etc.Birds will take easy option and feed them seeds if available, rather than hunt for healthier more suitable food for chicks, which is very bad for the chicks long term.

That's why, in breeding season, we put out rehydrated meal worms and tiny suet pellets which are suitable food for the chicks. We also make sure the bird baths are kept scrupulously clean and topped up with fresh water.
I've never seen a rat in my garden, I suppose I'd stop putting food out if I did.

MissAdventure

No need to, here.
My ex friend throws all her uneaten food over her balcony and calls it "feeding the birds".

😲😁

We do feed them, and also provide a bird bath, all mod cons for the little things and they reward us with birdsong.Only start doing this feeding in late Autumn through to late Spring but keep their water going all year round.

I have been feeding them until recently when rats decided to join in - though of course they need food too BUT not in my garden!!!

No need to, here.
My ex friend throws all her uneaten food over her balcony and calls it "feeding the birds".

We do feed the birds - we have a five-prong bird feeder to which DH has fitted a squirrel-proof umbrella-type thingy. We've never had any problem with rats or mice, the pigeon with a dodgy wing that has adopted our garden makes sure that any dropped seeds etc. are hoovered up. This morning we had goldfinches, coal tits, blue tits, robins and - new to us - two nuthatches, who are mad for sunflower hearts. We've had jays too, and two sorts of woodpecker.

We are currently also feeding a single red kite, who first came and sat in our beech tree about 5 years ago when it was a very young bird. It disappeared for a long time but this year has come back, sitting on exactly the same branch and exhibiting the same behaviour, so we are pretty sure it's the same bird. There aren't any others around just now, but they are a glorious sight to see.

No I stopped as it attracted rats and mice I have lots of seed heads and berries in my border my neighbours did feed them until a couple of years ago when she also spotted rats in her garden and was told that along with decking was inviting them to make a home in her garden

I live in a ground floor flat, with a small patio in front. My neighbour has put a bird feeder on our joint trellis but the peanuts are attractive to squirrels, especially one female who sits on top, brazenly looking at me and scolding. Too lazy to forage for acorns in the huge oaks opposite!

Depends on your location keepingquiet, of course. Up here in t'mountains we still get temperatures way below zero and quite a bit of snow. Birds do have a very good memory of food sources- when very low temps and snow comes, our garden gets visited by huge numbers of chaffinches and bramblings, and many others. I am glad we can help them when they need it.

Mmm wild birds are not pets and should not be regarded as such. Nature provides plenty for them except during the harshest winters. In fact I understood this over feeding by well meaning humans is upsetting the natural balance of birdlife in some localities and should be discouraged.

Therefore I don't feed them. Even in winter we don't get the frosts we used to, and it was only the squirrels and rats that benefitted from the food I put out in winter.

I have stopped as we had up to 20 pigeons scavenging the dropped seeds beneath the feeders, and I discovered that slugs just love a dropped fat ball too!

In recompense I have changed part of the garden into a seed-rich area that I hope will help through the Winter.

Water is available all year round, both on the floor and raised up. Many birds and insects take advantage of that.

No, because I end up feeding the rats with the stuff that the birds have dropped.

Research has shown that birds should not be fed in breeding season- as chicks need protein from insects, etc.Birds will take easy option and feed them seeds if available, rather than hunt for healthier more suitable food for chicks, which is very bad for the chicks long term.

No. It encourages rats and mice no doubt about that...and flocks of pigeons who can be a real nuisance.

There are plenty of seed heads in my garden at the moment and birds feed twice a day in the flower beds and lawn.

Quite a few birds nest in one my hedges each year and for a suburban garden I see plenty of birds visiting....without having to put out sacks of manufactured bird food.

We do always provide water, too.
Pigeons and other ground feeders do seem to pick up most of the dropped seed.
Now and then we have seen little woodmice actually in the feeders, especially after dark, but we don’t mind those!

We used to feed the birds and took great pleasure in watching their antics. Unfortunately after a while doing so attracted vermin too, so we had to stop. The problem was that as the birds were feeding from the feeders, they were scattering as much seed on the ground, hence the vermin, no matter how we tried to clear up after them.
We put water out in the bird baths though.

We do, year round, but have had to replace the main feeder, since it was being monopolised by parakeets - there would be two on the feeder, with 6 or 7 perched in the hawthorn tree just above, awaiting their turn! The little birds just weren’t getting a look in.

The amount of sunflower hearts we were getting through was frightening!
Yes, we’ve noticed rats, but dh has Taken Action regarding those. I do feel bad about it, but we’d be overrun otherwise.

Fresh water all around the garden at different heights all year round. Only feed birds in winter, as soon as below zero temps and snow comes. Several tables and on the ground for bramblings and chaffinches- but only sunflower seeds and quality fat balls. The birds we have in winter are totally different to Summer- apart from 'our' sparrows and some tits.