Birds come to a garden for food, water and somewhere to nest, and what you plant and leave standing matters more than any feeder. Below: what draws them in, which pests they take, and the Scottish law on nests.
How to encourage it
Plant berrying shrubs for an autumn and winter feast, and hedges for shelter and nesting sites. Leave seedheads standing for as long as possible, since they provide seeds and the insects that gather on them. Ivy is an excellent nest site for house sparrows, robins and wrens, and firethorn (Pyracantha) is among the best nesting shrubs (RHS). A swift or sparrow box helps these declining Red List species (RHS). Provide clean water all year round, and clean feeders regularly to stop disease spreading.
Different foods draw different visitors. Nyjer seed suits goldfinches and siskins, mealworms are especially popular with robins and blue tits, sunflower hearts suit finches such as chaffinches and greenfinches, and suet balls and fat-based bars are high-energy winter foods. Seeds and peanuts are best fed from November to April, with small amounts of mealworms and suet in moderation in between (RSPB). Avoid anything mouldy or salty, and brush off debris at every refill and scrub feeders weekly with mild disinfectant.
Avoid pesticides in the garden (RHS), which also removes the insects birds feed on.
Why this matters in Scotland
In Scotland it is an offence to take, damage, destroy or otherwise interfere with the nest of a wild bird while it is in use or being built, or to take or destroy an egg, whether intentionally or recklessly (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 1, as it applies to Scotland).
That covers a nest in a hedge or a nest box, so check hedges and climbers for nests before trimming in spring and summer.
What it helps control
Garden birds eat what is available, and the RHS names them among the predators of cabbage caterpillars, flea beetle larvae, scale insects, plum moth and slugs, with blue tits sometimes opening beet leaf miner mines. Almost half of UK bird species are in decline, and bird numbers are down by 73 million, almost a third, since 1970 (RHS), so a garden that supports them does more than pest control.
Myths about birds
“Feeding garden birds seeds and peanuts all year round, the same way you do in winter, is best for them and helps them raise more chicks.”
Following a scientific review, the RSPB does not recommend feeding seeds and peanuts between May and November because of the risk of disease transmission. Seeds and peanuts are fed from November to April, with mealworms in small amounts and suet in moderation in between.
Our read The instinct behind the myth is sound, since garden feeding helps, but what you feed changes across the year, so a winter routine kept up all summer is not the safest version.
What to do: Feed seeds and peanuts from November to April, offer small amounts of mealworms and suet in moderation in between, and brush off debris at every refill and scrub feeders weekly.
1 source
- RSPB, When to feed birdsWe don't recommend feeding seeds and peanuts between May and November due to the risk of disease transmission. Mealworms are an excellent choice at this time of year in small amounts, and suet products can be offered in moderation.
“If you touch a baby bird or fledgling, its parents will smell your scent on it and abandon or reject it.”
The Wildlife Trusts say parents will not abandon baby birds after they have been touched by humans.
What to do: A feathered fledgling on the ground is normal, so leave it or move it to nearby cover out of reach of cats. If you find an unfeathered chick that has fallen from a nest, it is generally fine to put it back if you can reach it safely, and the Wildlife Trusts advise thinking before rushing in to help.
1 source
- The Wildlife Trusts, What to do if you find a baby birdParents will not abandon baby birds after they have been touched by humans.
“Blue tits are especially good at keeping caterpillar numbers down in the garden.”
Blue tits synchronise their egg-laying with the emergence of caterpillars (RSPB), and caterpillars are a favourite food, alongside other insects, spiders, fruit and seeds (Woodland Trust). The clutch is usually laid from late April to early May.
What to do: Put up a blue tit nest box and avoid pesticides on caterpillar-prone plants such as brassicas and fruit trees, so there is something for a nesting pair to feed on.
2 sources
- RSPB, Blue titBlue tits synchronise their egg-laying with the emergence of caterpillars, their main food source for feeding chicks.
- Woodland Trust, Blue titCaterpillars are a favourite for blue tits, alongside other insects, spiders, fruit and seeds.
“Encouraging garden birds is a real way to help control caterpillars and other pests without reaching for pesticides.”
The RHS names birds among predators of cabbage caterpillars, flea beetle larvae, scale insects, plum moth and slugs, and notes that blue tits can sometimes open beet leaf miner mines. No bird is described as controlling a pest on its own, which makes a bird-friendly garden a broad help rather than a targeted fix.
What to do: Avoid pesticides, which also remove the insects birds feed on, and add berrying shrubs, hedges and standing seedheads so birds have year-round reasons to stay.
4 sources
- RHS, Cabbage caterpillarsCabbage caterpillars are food for many other creatures including parasitoid and social wasps and birds.
- RHS, Flea beetles on brassicas and allied plantsEncourage wildlife in the garden, such as birds, frogs and predatory ground beetles.
- RHS, Plum mothEncourage predators and other natural enemies in the garden such as birds, hedgehogs and ground beetles.
- RHS, Beet leaf minerBirds such as blue tits can sometimes open mines to consume the larvae within.
Frequently asked questions
Which birds eat garden pests?
The RHS names birds among predators of cabbage caterpillars, flea beetle larvae, scale insects, plum moth and slugs, and blue tits sometimes open beet leaf miner mines. No bird is described as controlling a pest on its own.
Should I feed birds all year?
The RSPB does not recommend feeding seeds and peanuts between May and November because of disease risk. Feed them from November to April, offer small amounts of mealworms and suet in moderation in between, and keep feeders clean.
How do I get more birds?
Plant berrying shrubs and hedges, leave seedheads standing, provide clean water all year, put up nest boxes, and avoid pesticides (RHS).
Can I trim a hedge with a nest in it?
In Scotland it is an offence to take, damage, destroy or otherwise interfere with the nest of a wild bird while it is in use or being built, or to take or destroy an egg, whether intentionally or recklessly (Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 1, as it applies to Scotland). Check a hedge for nests before trimming.
Birds can also take seedlings and soft fruit, so whether they help or hurt depends on what is growing that week.
Sources
Show the 14 sources
- RHS: For Cabbage White Caterpillars: Cabbage caterpillars are food for many other creatures including parasitoid and social wasps and birds.
- RHS: For Flea Beetle: Encourage wildlife in the garden, such as birds, frogs and predatory ground beetles.
- RHS: For Plum Moth: Encourage predators and other natural enemies in the garden such as birds, hedgehogs and ground beetles.
- RHS: For Brown Scale: Some birds will eat scale insects; encourage predators in the garden.
- RHS: For Beet Leaf Miner: Birds such as blue tits can sometimes open mines to consume the larvae within.
- RHS: For Slugs and Snails: Birds, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, slow-worms and ground beetles eat slugs and snails.
- RHS: RHS gardening for birds: berrying shrubs for an autumn and winter feast, hedges for shelter and nesting sites, seedheads left standing, swift and sparrow boxes for declining Red List species, clean water all year round, regular feeder cleaning, and avoiding pesticides.
- RHS: RHS nesting shrubs and climbers: ivy as a nest site for colonies of house sparrows as well as robins and wrens, with firethorn, honeysuckle, elder and bramble also named.
- RHS: RHS garden birds page: almost half of UK bird species are in decline, and bird numbers are down by 73 million, almost a third, since 1970.
- rspb.org.uk: RSPB what to feed birds: Nyjer seed for goldfinches and siskins, mealworms for robins and blue tits, sunflower hearts for finches, suet balls and fat-based bars for winter, and nothing mouldy or salty.
- rspb.org.uk: RSPB when to feed birds: seeds and peanuts are not recommended between May and November because of disease risk, with mealworms in small amounts and suet in moderation, feeders brushed down and scrubbed weekly.
- rspb.org.uk: RSPB blue tit: one clutch a year, timed to match caterpillar emergence; found across the UK with the exception of some Scottish islands.
- woodlandtrust.org.uk: Woodland Trust blue tit: caterpillars are a favourite food, clutch laid from late April to early May, nest boxes among the cavities used.
- legislation.gov.uk: Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 section 1 as it applies to Scotland: offences to take, damage, destroy or otherwise interfere with the nest of a wild bird while it is in use or being built, and to take or destroy an egg, covering intentional or reckless conduct.