How to Support Garden Birds with Feeders During Cold Spells

Across the Channel, many householders are changing what they put in their bird feeders to give birds better support during cold spells.

In a garden, birds are not simply looking for seeds. At the height of winter, their priority is readily available energy. This distinction, widely recognised by British nature enthusiasts, affects how often feeders are visited and may also benefit species living close to homes in France.

Feeders designed as energy stores

The familiar image of an English garden filled with tits, finches and robins is not solely down to the climate or the presence of large hedgerows. It also stems from a widespread practice: offering food that matches birds’ actual seasonal requirements.

In February, nights are still long and can be freezing. A small songbird then uses up a considerable share of its reserves simply to maintain its body temperature. A blue tit, weighing only around ten grams, must feed regularly if it is to make it through the following night in good condition.

The change is not about filling the feeder more heavily, but about providing food that is more concentrated and selected more carefully.

Low-cost mixes often include wheat, cracked maize or large seeds. These ingredients are not necessarily harmful, but much of them is often left on the ground. Smaller birds sort through them, ignore them or cannot always eat them easily.

Hulled sunflower seeds: a particularly useful choice

The approach favoured by many gardeners in England is straightforward: choose seeds that are rich, easy to eat and create little waste. Sunflower hearts, meaning seeds with their husks already removed, meet this need precisely.

They have several benefits. Birds do not need to spend energy breaking open a husk. They can quickly eat the nutritious part of the seed. The ground also stays cleaner, as husks do not build up beneath the feeder.

• Sunflower hearts are well suited to tits, greenfinches, finches and nuthatches.
• Niger seeds, which are very fine, are more likely to attract goldfinches.
• Mixes containing fruit and small dried insects may appeal to robins.
• Fat blocks without nets provide lipids during cold periods.

This food is not a complete meal on its own. Birds still forage for insects, larvae, berries and wild seeds. The feeder acts as a supplement, especially valuable when the ground is frozen or waterlogged.

Why fats matter so much in winter

Fats provide energy reserves. In wild birds, they help to generate warmth and offset the long hours spent without food. Food with a high fat content can therefore make a real difference in the middle of a cold snap.

Products should nevertheless be selected carefully. Very cheap fat balls sometimes contain a great deal of flour or ingredients of limited value. It is better to check the label and opt for a simple recipe based on vegetable fat or suet, seeds and, where appropriate, dried insects.

Plastic nets around fat balls should be avoided: feet and beaks can become trapped in them. A metal holder is far safer.

Tailoring food to garden visitors

A generously stocked feeder can quickly become the domain of pigeons, crows or starlings. These species fully belong in nature, but they may monopolise a food source intended for smaller birds. The solution is to vary both feeding locations and feeder types.

A tube feeder fitted with small perches restricts access for larger birds. Conversely, a small dish set on the ground beneath the cover of a shrub can be useful for robins and blackbirds. These birds often prefer pecking near the ground rather than hanging from a feeder.

Hygiene: the detail that protects the whole small colony

A dirty feeder can become a source of disease transmission. Damp conditions encourage mould, while droppings quickly collect on trays. The most attentive British gardeners therefore clean their equipment regularly, particularly when it receives many birds.

Washing it weekly with hot water, then allowing it to dry completely, reduces the risk. Wet seeds, fermented food and leftovers that have fallen onto the ground should also be removed. If a bird appears severely underweight, lethargic or has abnormal-looking plumage, it is best to stop feeding for a few days and disinfect the equipment thoroughly.

Water, even in cold weather

Water is often overlooked, even though it is useful throughout the year. Birds need it for drinking and maintaining their feathers. A shallow container, cleaned regularly and placed in an open spot, is enough. During frosts, the water should be replaced rather than treated with salt, sugar or alcohol, all of which can harm birds.

Feeding is even more effective when it forms part of a wildlife-friendly garden. A native hedge, a few plants left to set seed, an area of fallen leaves and berry-bearing shrubs provide shelter and natural food. A feeder does not replace this habitat: it complements it.

As spring approaches, very fatty foods should also be reduced gradually if temperatures rise for a sustained period. Birds then turn towards natural resources, while parents seek more protein to feed their young. Keeping a clean water source, allowing some vegetation to grow and avoiding pesticides remain simple steps that extend the benefits of this winter care.