It's RSPB Feed the birds day! Do you feed the birds?

This time each year, the RSPB celebrate Feed the Birds Day, a day dedicated to helping out our wild birds in whatever ways we can. It's always nice to support British wildlife and anyone can get involved, whether you've got a big garden or just a windowsill. Even a window feeder or a coconut filled with suet can make a difference!

What to feed the birds

The RSPB have some guidelines about what to feed the birds throughout the year. In Spring and Summer, the focus is more on protein to keep them going through the moulting season. It's important not to offer snacks that are too big as young chicks can choke on larger pieces of food.

But as we're heading into the Autumn and Winter, the birds that aren't flying south will need more high-fat foods to keep them toasty warm. Suet balls can be a good source of fats while it's chilly outside, as can peanuts and seed mixes. While a few bits of bread and pastry can be an occasional treat, it's better to stick to natural foods like nuts and seeds for the most part. There's a handy recipe for making winter suet feeders on the RSPB website.

Providing water is important too, especially when the temperatures drop and their natural water sources have frozen over. Just make sure that whatever you're offering is kept nice and clean and any old or mouldy food is thrown away, I'm sure your visitors will appreciate it!

Do you feed the birds? What kind of birds have you spotted in your garden or nearby where you live?

Of course, our very own @Albus_Scope has a big flock of feathered friends in the garden so I'm sure he'll share some pictures with us soon! But I'd love to see your bird pics too if you have any!