This post contains affiliate links| I’m a big believer in how beneficial nature can be for our mental health. I simply feel safer and more at peace when I’m in the countryside. It’s part of the reason why we moved to a rural cottage this year. Since moving here, I’ve been routinely filling, cleaning and adding to our growing collection of bird feeders and it’s brought me so much joy.
We have a band of regular daily visitors who come to feed, sing and hop about in our garden now and it’s just so wonderful to see them. They really feel like an extension to our little family, I can’t recommend it enough.
Modern life has introduced a lot of hazards to the lives of British garden birds and some of their numbers are sadly dwindling, so I think it’s really important that those of us who can support them, find a way to do what we can.
Remember to position feeders in a way that you can easily observe the birds who visit without disturbing them. You should also consider ensuring there is adequate shelter and water nearby and that the feeders are out of reach of cats.
You don’t have to have a huge countryside garden to feed the birds and it also doesn’t have to cost a lot. It’s become somewhat of a hobby for me and, even with our extensive collection of feeders it costs us less than £1 per week to fill them and provide for our friends.
If you’d like to start attracting little feathery friends to your garden, here are a variety of different feeders that will work best in your space:
If you have a large, established garden:
If you’re lucky enough to live in a home with a large garden full of different kinds of trees, shrubs, flowers and plants, then there are a wide range of ways you can cater to the birds and other wildlife who visit your garden.
Berry bushes and fruit trees provide excellent natural food sources for birds and will also gift you with a variety of delicious goodies to munch on. Avoid using pesticides and harsh chemicals in order to make sure your crops are safe snacks for little visitors.
Trees are one of the best places to hang feeders and install nest boxes for birds. Pay attention to who visits your garden the most (as well as which birds you’d like to attract to your home) because different birds have different needs.
Many birds, like robins, prefer to eat from traditional bird tables and ground feeders while blue tits, finches and nuthatches will happily eat at hanging bird feeders. Large birds, like magpies and jays, will often eat food that has dropped from the feeders onto the floor.
By adding a variety of bird feeders to your garden, you should quickly attract new visitors, who’ll be very grateful for the reliable food source. Don’t forget to clean your bird feeders in warm soapy water to help prevent the spread of diseases.
If you’re looking for a quick, high-energy, low maintenance addition to your garden, I’ve found that these RSPB suet filled coconut feeders please everyone who visits my garden from tiny songbirds to greater spotted woodpeckers.
If your garden is exposed to a lot of wind and rain:
While we have some trees in our garden, it’s also very windy and steep, which makes it difficult to install bird tables and ground feeders for fear of them breaking or blowing away. A garden that is exposed to a lot of wind (one in a valley or near the sea) needs a little more thought when it comes to positioning feeders and making sure there’s adequate shelter for birds.
If you want to hang feeders from trees or install nest boxes, make sure that they are securely fixed in place so they don’t fall and break.
If you need to drill into the trees in your garden, make sure you learn about doing this in a way that causes minimal damage to the tree. Never make holes in trees that have already been weakened by infection. Keep the number of holes to a minimum and use rust proof nails or screws made from aluminium, stainless steel or similar.
Even in windy weather, song birds are very light and will often have no problem landing on the feeders you hang, but squirrels can cause them to fall, so consider buying caged feeders like these to discourage them.
Factor the wind and rain into every purchase and avoid buying items that could easily break or blow away. Some ground feeders (like this one) could easily be secured to the ground with J Pins.
Choose a good quality bird bath over a cheaper, more light weight one and position where the ground is most even. You could even make your own bird bath or repurpose some old crockery, but make sure that the water isn’t too deep to avoid drowning.
Wetter conditions could mean spoiled food or even mould, so make sure you regularly empty old food and wash your feeders at least once per week. This is good practice anyway, but especially important with regular rain. Wherever possible, choose feeders with a roof that will help protect the food.
A small garden or garden with no trees:
There are so many wonderful options out there for gardens with no trees. I personally love the variety of feeding stations available that sit on poles you can push into the ground. I’m getting one for our garden, despite the fact we have some trees, so that the feeders can be better distributed.
This one’s a great option that includes a bird bath, feeding tray and some hanging feeders so that all of your garden birds are well catered for.
It’s also possible to hang feeders from the sides of sheds, walls, woodstores, clothes line poles, gates, fences and even your front door, so don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with your own solutions! Just make sure there are places for birds to perch nearby as they often like to sit nearby for a moment before they hop over to the food.
If you have no garden at all
You might think that only the lucky few who have access to their own gardens are able to birdwatch in their own homes, but this isn’t the case. A balcony can provide a plethora of options for those who want to attract birds, but a window is all you really need.
My partner bought me this clear window feeder for Christmas and it’s been fantastic. The feeder fixes directly to the window with extra strong suction cups and there were birds at it in no time at all. Thanks to this feeder, we’ve been able to get a really up close view of some of the birds that we would never have got without it. And they really have the cutest, fluffiest butts!
You can also buy larger bird feeders you can fix to the window with fancy removable trays. I’m going to invest in one of these for the window my desk overlooks so I can watch the birds between sentences at work. Lovely!
Add in a small water dish or bowl on your windowsill and fix one of these one-way mirror nest boxes to your window and you’ve suddenly got yourself a mini bird friendly paradise with minimal outdoor space.
Of course, if you’re blessed with a balcony, you might be able to grow some potted plants or even some little fruit trees to add value to the local wildlife, birds included.
I hope that this post has helped you think about how you might be able to adapt your outdoor space to make it more bird-friendly and bring yourself some joy and a wonderful new hobby at the same time.
Most of all, good luck! I know how much joy birds can bring and I’m truly excited for you…
Which birds visit your garden? I’d love to hear about it below, please leave me a comment!