Get Birds in your Garden

Getting birds to visit and return to your garden can give you great pleasure. Food, safety and shelter are key features that will encourage wild life and birds in particular. A bird bath can be a useful and decorative feature.

Bird Food can be grown in the garden in the form of berries and seeds or supplemented by bird feeders, peanuts, fat balls and even bits of fruit.

Safety can be designed into the garden with hedgerows and cover plants.

• Do not provide cover for lurking cats that want to prey on your garden birds.
• More information can be found in a good reference book or from the RSPB
• Keep bird food safe from squirrels and vermin by using the right sort of feeders.
• Keep birds safe from disease by moving bird tables and feeding stations around your garden each year.

Garden bird books

Nesting Boxes for Birds

• Birds will find nesting sites but you can help by putting up bird boxes.
• Check the size of the hole is right for the birds you want to attract.
• Do not be too tidy as birds need to be able ‘to feather their own nest’.
• Try not to disturb nesting birds.

See also Gardening for Birds or read about trees and shrubs for birds on Gardeners tips