When should I start feeding my birds? Now? or just for a Christmas tweet? You may have seen my "Scrubs Up!" blog post, or maybe just the feeling of winter on the way may put you into the "oh-gosh-I-should-really-feed-these-poor-poor-birds" mindset, but you don't actually need to start "tweeting" them to any seed yet.
Autumn is a very nice time to be a bird, with nuts, berries and bugs in abundance. During these months, birds are actually quite well off.
By the way, I'm not saying you should stop, (if you are doing it already), but just saying that it isn't completely necessary just yet.
Should I even feed the birds? Or does it just encourage them to rely on an external (and possibly temporary) source of food?
Well, I normally don't advise the constant feeding of birds, but as soon as the frosts hit, it becomes a very different story. Frozen ground means worm or other insect loving birds can't reach their main food source down below the ground. The nuts will have all gone, and most berries will have disappeared. The freezing temperatures at night mean that birds will shiver to keep warm, loosing up to 85% of their body fat overnight. They then have to spend the whole day gathering the rapidly depleting insects, nuts or berries, just to survive the next night. I would definitely suggest feeding birds, as soon as the frost hits.
Is there anything else I can do to help them?
Yes. Providing warm water each day is invaluable. Many ponds, dripping taps or puddles will have frozen over, leaving very few water sources for them to drink from. Putting out water on really frosty days is just as important as actually feeding them.
So, whilst you don't need to feed them right now, it is good to be prepared and in the know for the up-coming winter months. If you would like to know how to safely clean your feeders, click here!
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