Wildlife

How To Look After Common Garden Birds: A Guide

Blue Tit sat on tree branch against blurred green background

Feeding and looking after the wild birds in your garden is a rewarding activity that not only brings us closer to nature but also plays a crucial role in supporting our wild birds. Whether you are an experienced bird enthusiast or a curious beginner with the right approach and care you can attract a wide variety of birds into your garden with our guide on what to feed and how best to feed them.

Quick top tips on feeding wild birds

  • Feed birds in moderation 
  • Choose a well-made feeder that can be easily taken apart to be cleaned 
  • Use several feeders around the garden to house different feeds and attract a variety of birds 
  • Regularly clean feeders with soapy water or a wild bird feeder hygiene spray. Find out more with Peckish’s guide to keeping bird feeders clean 
  • Rotate feeding sites to avoid the build-up of waste food or droppings

Our bird feeding guide

Wild birds, just like any other animal require a balanced and nutritious diet to thrive and maintain their health. Feeding the birds with high-quality bird seed mixes is essential for several reasons, benefiting both the birds and the ecosystems they inhabit. 

Avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils as only the larger bird species can eat them dry. 

Mixtures containing green or pink chunks are also not ideal as these ingredients are processed and will need to be soaked first. 

Avoid using pesticides or herbicides near feeding areas, as these chemicals can be harmful to birds and their environment. Additionally, ensuring proper feeder maintenance and regular cleaning helps prevent the spread of diseases among birds.

House sparrow

house sparrow on tree branch

Favourite foods 

House sparrows like to eat just about anything from seeds, nuts to berries and insects. 

Feeding facts

They have a thick bill which is ideal for feeding on larger seeds.  

How to feed them 

Sparrows will feed from bird feeders and ground feeding. Simply place seed mix or single seeds into a feeder and hang from a feeding station or a tree. We recommend Peckish Complete which is packed with 14 ingredients, including 12 seeds.  

Shop our range of seed mixes and bird feeders. 

Robin

robin sat on branch

Favourite foods 

Robins like to eat insects like mealworm as well as seeds, naked oats and kibbled peanuts. 

Feeding facts 

As ground feeding birds, robin’s use their short beaks to dig up insects. This means they tend to prefer food with a similarly soft texture like mealworms. 

How to feed them 

Spread their food on ground feeders, dining station trays or tables. If you use ground feeders, make sure there’s plenty of cover from predators nearby. Or why not try Peckish’s Robin Insect Mix Specially blended with Robin’s favourite ingredients including mealworms.  

Shop our range of mealworms, seed mixes and bird feeders.

Greenfinch

greenfinch on tree branch

Favourite foods 

Greenfinches like high energy oil seeds such as sunflower seeds. 

Feeding facts 

With their more generously proportioned beaks, greenfinches are able to de-husk larger and more nutritious seeds. 

How to feed them 

Simply place a seed mix or single seeds such as sunflower seeds into a feeder and hang from a feeding station or a tree.  

Shop our range of sunflower seeds, seed mixes and bird feeders. 

Blue tit

blue tit on tree branch

Favourite foods 

High energy seeds and nuts such as black sunflower seeds and peanuts. 

Feeding facts 

Blue tits like to have protective cover near to their feeders to avoid predators. Flitting between the feeders and their shelter uses lots of energy so they favour high fat foods. 

How to feed them 

Simply place a seed mix or single seeds into a feeder and hang from a feeding station or a tree that is out of reach from predators. Or why not try Peckish’s Blue Tit Mix, made up of small, high energy seeds and grains including kibbled peanuts, kibbled sunflower hearts and much more. 

Shop our range of seed mixes and bird feeders. 

Goldfinch

goldfinch sat on branch

Favourite foods 

High energy fatty seeds such as sunflower and nyger seed. 

Feeding facts 

Although goldfinches can eat both small and large seeds and nuts, they love small high-fat foods like sunflower and nyger seed. 

How to feed them 

Place whole sunflower hearts in mesh feeders or loose sunflower and nyger seeds in appropriate feeders and hang from a feeding station or a tree. 

Shop our range of seed mixes and bird feeders. 

Chaffinch

chaffinch on branch

Favourite foods 

Chaffinches will eat many seeds. 

Feeding facts 

They can be found in a variety of habitats including farmland, woodland, and suburban areas, so are adaptable and have a varied diet. 

How to feed them 

Simply place a seed mix or single seeds into a feeder and hang from a feeding station or a tree that is out of reach from predators. 

Shop our range of seed mixes and bird feeders. 

 And there we have it – our guide on how to feed a whole host of common garden birds. Let us know how you get on and share your favourite photos of your new feathered friends @Homebase_UK.



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