Making Space for Nature by Jenny Grant
Robin. Picture: Jenny Grant
This morning, I woke up to some surprise snow. An inch covered the ground and vegetation, and a robin perched on the tree I usually put feeders on, just looking as if to say: “Come on then, winter’s here, where is my food?!”
I am quite often asked whether you should feed birds at all, occasionally, or all year round. Here are my thoughts.
As a naturalist, I always think in terms of being the animal. What does that bird need that day, in terms of its whole life and for that species’ survival as a whole?
Imagine being a small bird in the wild, freezing in winter. How do they survive with so little fat and a layer of feathers?
According to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) it is all about layering. Underneath the flight feathers there are downy and semi-plume feathers which act like thermal clothing and trap air. Still, I get cold even with multiple thermals and warm jackets in the cold winter days, so I have a lot of respect for the wee birds in our gardens.
This layering mechanism of feathers and air seems to allow birds to survive in the wild so then why do we need to feed garden birds at all?
Seeing birds outside our windows no doubt brings great pleasure to many people but bigger than that is the need to feed garden birds because there is simply not enough food around to maintain their populations. This is due to habitat loss reducing the availability of food.
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Unfortunately, a story of declining population is the case for most bird species but feeding seabirds such as kittiwakes is not as easy as feeding garden birds.
It seems like a good idea to feed garden birds. It can really help them survive individually and as a species but how much should you feed them?
The RSPB recommends feeding all year round. However, the cost of this may be inhibitive to some people. I also used to wonder if birds become dependent. Will their young learn to find natural food? What happens if you suddenly move house or are unable to feed them?
Fortunately, that concern can be quashed by the studies showing that birds that are fed from bird feeders use them as supplementary feed rather than a replacement for natural foods, so don’t worry if you are an all-year-round feeder.
There are other potentially negative aspects of feeding birds all year including the increased chance of disease spreading rapidly between birds. This is easily combated with regular cleaning and disinfecting.
Another risk of lots of birds hanging out in your garden at a busy bird-buffet is that it can welcome predators including domestic cats. If you do have a cat or cats in your neighbourhood, please put feeders high off the ground and consider putting a bell on your pet cat.
Birds in the wild forage and find areas of food randomly. In the wild there will be gluts and dearth’s and I see my garden as the same. Sometimes there is lots of food in my garden and sometimes there is none.
When I think there will be a shortage of food in snowy and icy conditions, I try and fill my feeders every day to help maintain the little fat the birds have. There are other times in the year when birds could benefit from more supplementary feeding such as when laying eggs or moulting.
To summarise, I would say if you wanted to feed birds all year round do that, but make sure you disinfect your feeders, keep them away from predators and put out natural and sustainably sourced food. If that seems too much cost and responsibility, don’t let it put you off. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
If, like me, feeding sporadically and particularly at colder times works better for you, do that and become a foraging niche rather than a 24/7 all-you-can-eat buffet for birds and their predators alike.
However, if you feed the birds, doing it will allow you to enjoy the chance to see wild animals up close and know that you are helping them in an increasingly challenging environment.
Jenny Grant, High Life Highland countryside ranger.
• Jenny Grant is the High Life Highland Countryside Ranger for Wester Ross.