Introducing wild bird food to your garden is a fantastic way of enticing our feathered friends into your garden. However, the issue isn’t as clear cut as simply buying some seed and placing it wherever you like. There are a few factors that you should consider to ensure that your wild bird food doesn’t go to waste and so that you can enjoy the sights of local birds. Here we look at the importance of bird feed positioning.

Different Places For Different Birds

Feeding styles for birds varies dependent on which family they are from. The finch family and other similar small or brightly coloured birds feel safer when feeding off the ground. So putting any wild bird food in feeders is a wise move if you wish to attract some colourful birds to your garden. In contrast, songbirds tend to be more comfortable feeding on the ground and you will have to consider putting out some feeding trays, or scattering on the ground to attract them.

Helping Birds Stay Safe

Birds are at their most vulnerable when they are feeding. In order to give them as much protection from predators as possible, you need to carefully think about where you are placing your wild bird food. Be sure the place any bird feeders away from roofs or walls, which cats love to prowl. Placing feeders near vegetation of some kind can also make birds feel more secure, as they have somewhere safe to retreat to in the event that a predator does make an appearance. When placing wild bird food on the ground you should make sure that it is in an open space so that approaching predators can be spotted, whichever side they come from.

During The Winter

The help that wild bird food provides to our feathered friends is never more important than in cold snaps, when other food sources are scarce. If you notice that birds are not using your feeders, it could be that it is because of a cold wind, so try moving them to a more sheltered location. Also remember to bring in feeding trays on an evening to prevent the frost from spoiling your wild bird food.

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