Blue tit feeding on a fat cake.
Here are some useful Lottie Loves Nature tips for feeding garden birds during the cold winter months.
To survive the frosty winter months, birds need to maintain their body’s fat reserves and eat food that is high in energy and fat. As the days turn colder, it becomes harder for birds to find their natural diet of insects, worms, berries and seeds. This winter you can help garden birds by putting the food listed below in a bird feeder, on a bird table or hang them from a branch in your garden or balcony.
Blue tit eats sunflower seeds from a window feeder on a sunny autumn day.
Seeds
Sunflower seeds are a good source of protein and fat for birds.
Peanuts
Peanuts are an excellent source of fat and attract many birds such as the tit family, robins, greenfinches, house sparrows, great spotted woodpeckers, dunnocks and nuthatches.You can crush peanuts and place them in a bird feeder. Remember, peanuts have to be unsalted and unroasted, as salt is harmful for birds!
Mild Cheese
Some birds such as robins, dunnocks, blackbirds, songbirds and wrens love cheese. Grate the cheese and place it out for birds to eat. Cheese is an excellent source of fat and protein. Remove any mouldy cheese!
Dunnock on garden gate in the snow.
Fat Cakes
Fat cakes are made of lard, seeds and some grated cheese, and are a great source of protein. Lottie makes fat cakes for birds and stores them in her freezer until they are needed. You can find Lottie’s recipe here
Bread
Bread is not recommended for birds as it’s not very nutritious. However, if you do have leftover bread, the wholemeal variety is the best to use. Remember, soak dry bread first. Do not feed birds white or very dry bread. Remove any mouldy bread!
It is best to place the food out in the early morning. Remember, once you start a bird feeding routine, birds will
rely on you for food!
Find out more ways you can help wildlife in your back garden with the Lottie Loves Nature Series.