Support your Local Sparrow - Part Two
Contents
Going Organic
The first and best way to achieve a wildlife-friendly garden is to reduce - or preferably cut out completely - reliance on harmful chemicals to treat pests and diseases. This does not simply mean replacing synthetic chemicals with 'natural' chemicals. After all, 'natural' doesn't always mean safe (think Deadly Nightshade for instance). Organic gardening is more about creating a positive self-supporting ecosystem, by considering the garden in a more holistic way. For instance:
- Are aphids a problem in your garden? Instead of bringing out the pesticides at every outbreak, think about your enemies' likes and dislikes. Soapy water (using liquid soap or pure grated/flaked soap, not detergent) can be used as a spray instead. Better still, think natural predators. Attract lacewings and ladybirds into your garden by planting plants that are attractive to them and buying special insect hibernation chambers (available from garden centres and wild bird food suppliers). Fix these up near to the problem area, perhaps also making use of pheromone attractants (also available from bird food suppliers), and these 'beneficial insects' will do the job for you. Much simpler - and safer - than spraying noxious chemicals onto your beautiful plants!
-
Roses suffering from black-spot? Plant alliums (i.e. garlic, shallots, onions) around your rose beds. This is a technique known as companion planting. Alliums, especially garlic, have well known anti-fungal properties, and planting these around your roses will help to kill off any fungal spores, as well as reducing the extent of the black-spot fungus already present. This is a technique not unknown to Bulgarian rose-growers, who produce great quantities of roses for distillation, and easily up the yield and improve the scent of their roses simply by adding garlic around their roses. The humble stinging nettle is also an excellent tonic for all kinds of plants, increasing yields by up to 80% in some cases. Comprehensive details of companion planting is beyond the scope of an article of this size, so you might wish to go and do a bit of your own research, and it will certainly be a very rewarding area to investigate, inshallah. Other ways to control black-spot is to spray with bicarbonate of soda to create an alkaline surface - again, this is learning your enemy's dislikes - as the fungus finds it hard to establish itself on an alkaline leaf surface. More on this can be found at Beginner-Gardening.com. Other fungal diseases can be treated with essential oils - myrrh, patchouli, tea-tree, lavender (be sure you buy the pure, natural, undiluted stuff) all have anti-fungal properties. Add 5-10 drops of any of these oils, or better still a mixture of them, per 500mls water, optionally adding some liquid soap to help it stick. Shake very well regularly (remember oils don't dissolve in water) to keep the oils in suspension and spray onto affected plants.
-
Slugs eating your vegetables and
seedlings? Contrary to popular opinion,
hedgehogs do not really eat all that many slugs!
Even so, adding a small pile of logs and branches
in a corner of your garden, along with a
hibernating box perhaps will help to remove a few
of the offending gastropods. Putting out a few meat
scraps (not bread and milk) will also help the
hedgehogs to fatten up before their 'big sleep'.
Mmm, slugs, tasty! Back to the subject of slugs... You may have heard of the famous 'Slug Pub', i.e. filling a shallow tub with beer, which the slugs proceed to flock to and consequently drown in! Obviously such a system is not suitable for Muslims - who wants to keep alcohol even in their garden? Well, there is an alternative method, courtesy of a correspondant in the RSPB's Birds magazine, and that is - milk. Use the same method. You need a small washed margarine tub or medium sized yoghurt pot. Bury this (or you may need more than one depending on the area you need to protect) so that the top is at ground-level. Fill the tub half-way with 1 part milk to one part water (the addition of water is to save on wastefulness; if you need to increase the concentration, please do so). You can fill the tub to the brim, but I find it works just as well half- or even quarter-full (adjust as necessary), and this also makes it easy to empty out! If you're lucky, you may get magpies, thrushes or crows visiting your traps to dispose of the slugs for you! Now isn't this much more pleasant that those awful slug pellets, which then continue to spread their poision up the food chain? - Caterpillars - the obvious solution: attract birds! Birds get through an amazing amount of caterpillars during the breeding season, so try installing a nest-box, bird bath or bird feeder. The last is not as paradoxical as it seems. Many birds will always prefer insects to seed, and for their nestlings, insects are the only food that has sufficient protein, fat and moisture. Parents will then visit your seed or nut feeders to top-up their own energy (believe me, they'll need it!)
There are many many other ways to control diseases and pests in your garden without having to resort to toxic chemicals. For instance avoiding peat, which harms the marsh habitats from which is it obtained, and making your own compost from organic household waste and garden clippings. Granted, organic gardening practices are not quick-fixes like synthetic treatments, but the benefits far outweigh this - after all, many pests and diseases simply build up a resistance to commercial chemicals eventually. Perhaps it's about time we gave nature a helping hand to heal itself?
Creating a bird garden
Now that you've eradicated harmful gardening practices from your garden, it's time to start attracting those other garden assistants - you know, the birds!
Water, water everywhere, nor yet a drop to drink
Water is vital for life, not least for birds. Most seed eaters get very little moisture from their food, so providing a place for birds to drink is extremely useful. Likewise, they also need clean water for bathing, as keeping their feathers clean helps to insulate them against harsh winter weather. Providing a bird bath is a good idea, but be sure to keep it clean, topped up with water and, in winter, ice-free (don't use any additives in the water: simply pour warmed water over any ice or break up the ice manually. A floating cube of clean untreated wood or ping pong ball may also help). Bird baths should be placed away from cover, about 2 metres, as preening requires immense concentration, and birds then become more vulnerable to an ambush. They should also have a rough surface so the birds can grip, and have varying depths (a simple bowl shaped bath is sufficient). Try adding a few cleaned stones in the bath to vary the depth. Water should not be too deep - between 2.5cm and 10cm is recommended. An upturned bin lid placed on bricks for height and stability makes a suitable bath. If you have a pond, try to keep one area shallow so the birds can bathe easily, and add a plank to one edge to act as a ramp so small mammals can escape if they fall in. If you haven't space for a bird bath, a small drinker will still be appreciated. You can also suspend a shallow dish of water from a branch for smaller birds to drink from. See the section below on hygiene about keeping baths clean.
Feeding the birds
I already wrote about this in my last entry, but a
few valuable points can be added. Learn what birds
are visiting your neighbourhood, and tailor your food
supplies to suit. For instance, there is no point in
putting out raisins if you haven't any softbills
frequenting your area. Likewise, hanging peanut
feeders are not much use for attracting robins.
Remember that seed mixes containing wheat are not
suitable for hanging tube seed feeders as small birds
tend to ignore cereals (I would recommend buying
wheat-free formulations as wheat is mostly attractive
to pigeons only). Speaking of pigeons, do you mind if
they eat the food you put out? Many people don't mind
the occasional pigeon, but the occasional pigeon
tends to call its friends (and they always seem to
have so many of them!) and the next thing you know,
you've got through an entire 2kg bag of seed in a
week! 
If pigeons
are a problem in your garden, it's best to buy a
feeder that pigeons can't use from the outset. I had
to pack up my bird table because of this problem, and
even after I found a way to stop them raiding the
table, the wood pigeons would still sit on the roof
of the table and foul all over it while they pondered
how to get at the food! I personally don't mind
feeding pigeons (on the kitchen roof) - they get the
leftover bread and cheaper bird seed mixes which are
like 60% wheat (perfect for these wheat-loving birds,
though not much else) - but to have to clean off huge
lumps of pigeon droppings from your table every
morning and afternoon is Not Good. Bear this in mind
when choosing a feeder.
Squirrels are also problematic. Don't think your feeders are safe just because you've not seen a squirrel about. As soon as a passing squirrel notices your feeders it will become a regular visitor! Again, getting a squirrel proof feeder from the start is the best bet. Learn from my mistakes! Garden Bird Supplies has a good range of squirrel-proof feeders (I use the caged feeder which works fine, though it did take 2 weeks for the birds to start using it). The squirrel learnt it can't get to the food and leaves it well alone. You can also get feeder guardians which go around the feeders and stop squirrels accessing the food. Remember that squirrels can chew through plastic and can wreck your beloved feeder in a matter of mintues, so aim to get a metal feeder to prevent this. Giving squirrels their own food source also helps keep them away from your feeders. However, this is costly, and some argue that greys should not be fed at all, as this will only increase their breeding success and this is not something we want to do, considering that greys are not native to this country and can damage trees and plants, raid birds' nests and harm reds. Various repellents have been designed, so you could try some of these and see if any work for you. Silent Roar (a cat repellent) also seems to discourage meeker squirrels. If your feeders are pole-mounted, Vaseline (or better still Vicks or vaseline mixed with a few drops of strong essential oil like eucalyptus or peppermint) smeared down the length of the pole should stop them climbing.
Types of Feeder
There are five main types of feeders, as follows:
- Wire mesh peanut feeders - These consist of a wire mesh (with squares of about 6mm) around a base and lid. Whole peanuts can be placed in these, so that the birds can only get small amounts of peanut at a time. It is absolutely essential to use this kind of peanut feeder if you are intending to put out whole nuts during the breeding season (March to October). If insectivorous food is in short supply, parent birds might be tempted to substitute with peanuts, and loose whole nuts can be a choking hazard to chicks (peanut granules are fine fed loose, though). If you can't or don't want to buy a mesh feeder, make sure any peanuts you put out are either crushed or chopped into small pieces. WARNING. Beware of net bags of bird food. These should NEVER be used, as a bird's feet or tongue can become entangled in this, and many birds have died as a result. If you buy food in mesh bags, empty the food out into a suitable feeder and discard the bag.
- Tubular seed feeders - These consist of a strong plastic tube with a varying number of ports for birds to access the seed. Virtually any seed mix can be used in this kind of feeder. Two exceptions are mixes containing wheat (small birds, who are the main users of this kind of feeder, will tend to ignore wheat and the feeder may end up getting clogged) and ground blends (which obviously are aimed at ground-feeding birds). The most economical choice for this kind of feeder is to fill it with black sunflower seeds, which appeals to most of the small birds you're likeliest to attract. ANOTHER WARNING. CJ Wildbird Foods have their own range of seed feeders which use circular perching rings instead of the basic straight perch. There have been a few reports of birds using this feeder becoming trapped as a result of being able to reach further into the feeder and then getting stuck and dying. If you do use CJ's seed feeders, be sure not to let them run low, as this is what will make birds reach too far into the feeding ports to reach the last scrap of seeds.
- Nyjer feeders - These are similar to the seed feeders above, but have small holes, instead of large feeding ports, for a special kind of seed called nyjer (or niger) seed. This is similar to the seed of thistle or teasel and is very small and light. This type of feeder is useful if you have goldfinches (Droll Yankees has a range of feeders designed especially to attract these beautiful songbirds), siskins or greenfinches. You may want to be sure that you have any of these birds visiting your area before purchasing this kind of feeder, though tits will also use nyjer feeders, but may not take so readily to them or consume very much.
- Bird tables - I would probably advise againt bird tables, for the reasons described above. If you do get a bird table, try to get one that is squirrel- and pigeon-proof. Also aim for one with a pole greater than 1.7m.
- Ground feeders - There are two main types of ground feeders: a tray-type feeder, which usually has a metal mesh on the base to help rainwater drain through, and ground hoppers, which consist of a central silo with trays on one or two sides where the food flows out to. You can also get 'ground guardians' for ground feeders. This is just a fancy name for a cage that goes over the feeder to stop larger birds and squirrels reaching the food.
You can then get variations on these feeders, (e.g. a mesh peanut feeder which is further enclosed in a larger 'cage' with ports for small birds to enter, which is ideal if you want to prevent larger birds or squirrels reaching the food). Always try to buy a high quality feeder from the start, as it will then last a long time and be resistant to repeated attacks by squirrels and other animals wishing to access the food. Droll Yankees feeders have a very good reputation for quality and value, and furthermore offer a lifetime guarantee, with free replacement of parts damaged by predators. They are available from most mail-order companies. You can also get special kinds of feeder for dispensing mealworms, although any small, shallow, steep-sided dish will do. The Droll Yankees Seed Saver is another feeder worth mentioning. It is specially designed for robins and other gground-feeding songbirds and can be used to feed live food, fruit seeds and scraps.
Winter Feeding
During winter, high calorie food should be put out for the birds. Good sources of energy include peanuts (whole for tits, ground or chopped for softbills), sunflower hearts (an added bonus is that birds do not have to waste time and energy cracking open the husks, and softbills can eat them too), pastry (as described below) and of course the winter favourite, suet (see notes below). Dried/chopped fruit is always appreciated by blackbirds, thrushes, robins and starlings.
The important thing to remember about winter is that you must be consistent. Once birds have found your food source they will come to depend on you. Wasted journeys to an empty feeder can deplete the last stores of energy of an already cold and exhausted bird. Put food out at the same time(s) each day, preferably once in the morning and again in the afternoon. The best option is to hang up a tubular seed feeder filled with a seed mixture or straight sunflower hearts, or mesh peanut feeder and ensure that it stays topped up. Scattering dried fruit on the lawn/flowerbed will help the softbills.
Feeding on a budget
If you cannot or do not wish to spend much money on bird feeding equipment, but still wish to gain some thawab by helping out Allah's creatures, there are simple cost-effective ways of still helping out your feathered friends. Start feeding in November (northern hemisphere dwellers), as this is when birds are more likely to suffer natural shortages of food and supplemental food will attract them more readily to your garden and will really help them survive through winter. Here are some suggestions:
- Black sunflower seeds - this is the cheapest specialist bird food you can get. Black sunflower seeds have a higher oil content than striped sunflowers. Note that this will not be any use to softbills though, as they cannot crack open the husk to access the seed. If you want to offer sunflower seeds to softbills, you can buy sunflower hearts, which are black sunflowers with the husks removed (though this is considerably more expensive), or 'value' sunflower hearts, which are seeds with the husks partially removed. To feed these seeds without buying a feeder, you can use a cleaned small plastic pot, e.g. a yoghurt or jelly pot or the small pots used for ready-made microwaveable steamed puddings. Pierce the bottom with enough holes to allow water to drain through, and two more holes at the top of the pot on opposite sides to thread strong plastic cord or wire through (don't use threads that may cause the birds' feet to get trapped). Fill this with the seed and hang up on a tree, tall climbing rose, disused wall bracket, etc, bearing in mind the points below about avoiding predation.
- Peanuts - peanuts sold for human consumption are fine to use, but NEVER use roasted and/or salted peanuts. Plain, raw peanuts are the only suitable form. Any nuts that are sold specifically for birds should carry the Birdcare Standards Association logo, which certifies that it is safe for birds to consume (see my previous article for more info). Peanuts with the shell still on them can be threaded onto some wire, or the loose peanuts can be left in your little hanging pot, as above. Again, if you want to appeal to softbills, place the peanuts in a clean paper or plastic bag and crush with a hammer until small and soft, then scatter them onto the lawn or flower bed. Remember to not leave out whole, loose nuts between March and October.
- Raisins and other fruit - I've mentioned this before, but in winter blackbirds and robins really take to dried fruit, and I am quite surprised at the success I've had with this. I've gone from getting no blackbirds in my garden at all, to a female blackbird visiting us at least 3 times every day. Chopped up apples have also gone down well. Apples, pears and berries can be hung on trees or climbing plants, but you will get more success chopping them into bite-size pieces and scattering them on the lawn, table or flower bed.
- Pastry - raw or cooked, this is much liked by many species and is easy to make. To make your own, use 100g of flour (plain or wholemeal), 50g of cold butter (butter has more saturated fat than margarine, so it gives the birds a longer lasting supply of energy), and ½ to 1 teaspoon of sugar. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the sugar over the mixture and stir in. Add small trickles of cold water at a time to bind. Don't use too much water as you will spoil the mixture. You can optionally knead in any other ingredients liked by birds: chopped peanuts, chopped raisins, bird seeds, grated cheese. You can scatter this over the lawn or flower bed for ground feeders (thrushes, blackbirds, robins, wrens), or press onto tree branches for tits, sparrows and finches.
-
Coconut treats - this is easy and
cheap to make yourself and I've had a lot of
success with this since the frost has set in. Cut
the coconut in half, remove the flesh and rinse and
dry throughly. Make a hole at the top to thread a
chain, plastic cord or wire through. Melt some suet
(if using vegetable suet find one which is mostly
saturated fat). Halal beef suet can be ordered from
halal2go for
49p/kg (if it isn't listed on the site, send an
e-mail asking for order details). Mix in some
seeds, chopped peanuts, dried fruit, cheese, fresh
grated coconut flesh, ground almonds, etc, if
desired. Adding peanut flour helps
to bind the mixture. The usual proportions are
1 part suet to 2-3 parts dry ingredients (e.g.
peanut flour, seeds, breadcrumbs)
Pour into the coconut shell and leave to set.
When solid, hang it up and just wait for the birds
to come and feast! Warning - NEVER
give dessicated coconut to birds, or indeed any
other form of dessicated food. These swell in the
bird's stomach and can kill them.
(NB. The RSPB recommends avoiding home-made suet treats during the breeding season as they are likely to turn rancid quickly and are not suitable food for nestlings.)
There is more information on using kitchen scraps to feed birds in the last article, so please do refer to that entry.
Predators
We don't have any sparrowhawks in our area: one could wipe out my entire small bird population over a weekend! If you do have one in your area, be sure to include some cover in your garden that the birds can dash to when attacked: a hedge, dense shrub, holly bush, etc. Anything a raptor can't penetrate. Sparrowhawks have long legs so cover needs to be dense and big. Making a sort of cage out of garden canes around your feeders will also deter an attack. Jacobi Jayne sells a mirrored raptor globe which they claim scares the birds with their own reflection, though I can't speak either way regarding the efficacy of this product as I don't know anyone who's tried one.
The
biggest danger to birds though, are cats. Unlike
raptors, these animals do not need to hunt to
survive, and many of them hunt for pleasure (a bit
like certain sick humans out there - you know who you
are). Truly, watching a bird get mauled for three
hours was a very traumatic experience. This happened
as a result of harmful pesticides - the wood pigeon
is believed to have been poisoned by my mum's slug
pellets. Weakened to the extent that it couldn't even
fly, it became a sitting duck for the psychotic
Louis. We had to watch helplessly as the cat sat in
the grass drawing it out, and the poor pigeon in the
neighbour's garden knowing it was screwed if it tried
to escape to our garden, and screwed if it didn't. The
cat eventually made a lunge for it, and three hours
later, the poor bird still wasn't dead, and continued
to be mauled and tortured by this stupid cat. So for
the sake of Allah, please use the milk trap instead
of slug pellets, and avoid this happening to another
bird.
If you have a cat, avoid letting it out until well after dawn, as birds are most active around sunrise. Again keep them indoors around sunset as birds will be stocking up on their energy reserves for the night. Keep cats indoors as much as possible during the breeding season. Bells don't work. Get one of the special collars that emit a short audible alarm and flash of light when a cat lunges, which gives the bird a warning and chance to escape. Better still, appreciate that you have a responsibility for what your cat gets up to. Don't force your cat upon your neighbours and the local wildlife. Train your cats to be house cats, or keep them on a harness when outdoors. Unfortunately, these two are the only methods to keep wildlife completely safe from moggies.
Placing feeders high up, perhaps up a long metal pole at least 1.6m tall, and using a squirrel-baffle can prevent a cat reaching, and greasing the pole with petroleum jelly will make it too slippery to climb. Ultrasonic cat deterrents are available - RSPB recommends CATWatch, which costs some £50; B&Q has an own-brand deterrent for about £30. As I've not used either (the jug-of-water method works fine for me - Louis runs home whenever he sees this Water-bearing Ninja Niqabi), I can't comment on the efficacy; perhaps a reader can provide their experiences of their use.
Planting for birds
Providing plants specifically for birds' needs can help to make a natural haven for birds and wildlife, and will ensure your feathered friends become faithful visitors. Aim to choose plants which provide cover, nesting sites and a natural source of food. What plants you can provide will depend on your climate, aspect, soil type and the size of your garden. Even a small patio garden can provide food and cover by planting thorny, berry bearing bushes or dwarf fruit trees in tubs for instance.
Here are some suggestions to get you started. Try to buy native plants where possible.
- Birch (Betula pendula) - small varieties (e.g. Youngii) are also available if space is limited. Birch is native and so attracts many insects which act as food for birds.
- Beech (Fagus sylvatica) - only suitable for larger gardens. This provides nuts (beech mast) that are loved by great tits, finches, bramblings and woodpeckers.
- Cherry (Prunus spp.) - Bird Cherry (P. padus) and Wild Cherry (P. avium) are early fruiters and appeal to many fruit-eating birds
- Elder (Sambucus nigra) - this provides purple-black berries eaten by birds (and is also a good remedy for colds) and its flowers atrract many insects
- Barberry (Berberis spp.) - B. aggregata, B. vulgaris, B. stenophylla and B. thunbergii provide berries for birds. B. wilsoniae is a smaller species. B. darwinii is an evergreen barberry, with holly-like leaves, yellow flowers and blue-back berries. Provides good cover
- Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.) - any variety is good for food and cover, besides C. conspicuus 'Decora', whose fruit is ignored by birds
- Firethorn (Pyracantha spp.) - provides masses of berries that are popular with birds, is easy to care for and provides cover and nesting sites. P. 'Orange Glow' is a good variety and easily obtained.
- Rose (Rosa spp.) - R. canina (dog rose), R. rugosa and R. rubrifolia provide hips that attract finches and woodpigeons. Thorny varities also provide good cover.
- Conifers - juniper, cypress, false cypress. These provide cover and nesting sites. They do have extensive root systems and can drain fertility from soil to the detriment of other plants. If your garden is small, opt for a dwarf conifer or grow one in a large, deep planter.
- Lavender (Lavandula officinalis syn. angustifolia, L. stoechas, etc) - These attract insects and the seeds are eaten by goldfinches.
- Gorse (Ulex europaeus) - thick and thorny shrub, very good for providing secure nesting sites.
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum and its cultivars) - a climber which can be used to conceal open-fronted nestboxes (such as those used by robins). Fruits attract warblers, thrushes and bullfinches.
- Ivy (Hedera helix, H. hibernica, H. colchica) - vigorous climber. Attracts insects and, again, can be used to conceal nestboxes and roosting pockets. The fruit attracts woodpigeons, thrushes, robins and blackcaps and the flowers open in late autumn/winter, attracting insects. H. helix(English Ivy) and H. hibernica (Irish Ivy) are native to Britain and/or Ireland.
- Clematis (Clematis montana) - vigorous climber, good for nesting sites when grown up a building or tree, but can look bare and dull in winter.
- Buddleja (buddleja spp.) - non-native, but it has the best reputation for attracting a large variety of butterflies.
- Native wild flowers, seed-bearing flowers and herbs, e.g. cornflower, honesty, sunflower, teasel, thistle, calendula, poppy, evening primrose, thyme, ox eye daisy, etc. These provide seeds that are taken by birds, or attract insects that birds feed on. Opt for the standard variety as fancy cultivars usually produce the extra embellishment at the expense of nectar.
Hygiene
Imagine the state of your health if you and your family ate all your meals at the same table and from the same dishes without them ever being wiped down or cleaned. The same applies to birds. They naturally carry low levels of salmonella, and irresponsible feeding practices can cause a local outbreak. Not to mention the fact that if things get so bad, disease can also spread to humans. Thankfully, observing some simple measures can ensure you feed birds safely and responsibly.
Firstly, any feeders you use, whether your own home-made seed pot, or a fully-featured seed feeder, must be disinfected at least once every two weeks. If you get a large number of birds, you may wish to clean more often than this. There are many commercial preparations designed specially for use on bird equipment or you can use a mild solution of baby bottle sterilising fluid. I personally prefer to make my own using essential oils diluted in a bottle of liquid soap or washing up liquid. Here are some suggestions:
| Antibacterial oils | Antiviral oils | Antifungal oils |
|---|---|---|
| Tea tree | Tea Tree | Tea Tree |
| Lavender | Lavender | Lavender |
| Palmarosa | Ravensara | Myrrh |
| Clove | Eucalyptus (radiata or smithii) | Eucalyptus (radiata or smithii) |
| Peppermint | Bergamot | Ylang Ylang |
| Lemon | Thyme | Patchouli |
| Manuka | Manuka | Manuka |
NB. All essential oils are antiseptic to a greater or lesser degree. Ravensara oil is particularly effective against the flu virus - not sure about bird flu though. Be careful when using thyme oil, and try to use the thymol or linalol chemotype, or wild thyme (thymus serpyllum) which is milder than garden thyme (thymus vulgaris).
To make your own disinfectant, pick at least 1 oil from each category above, and use a maximum total of 5 drops of essential oils per 10 mls of liquid soap or washing-up liquid. Shake the bottle well, and leave to settle for a day or two. You can then use this liquid to wash your feeders. Try filling a bucket with warm water and adding a dash of your essential oil soap (only a small amount is needed) and leaving the feeders to soak for 10 minutes or so, to give the oils time to work. Take feeders apart and give everything a good scrub with a brush. Then rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of soap and air-dry throughly before refilling with food.
Hose down or dig over any soiled areas. After the birds have all gone to bed (i.e. around half an hour after sunset), clear away any leftover food, and move feeders away if needed to avoid making making them wet. Then hose down or dig over the area, as applicable. You can also use a substance called 'Garden Klens' which locks up pathogens and is harmless to birds, even if ingested. This can be shaken over the feeding area from time to time. Also change the location of your feeding station from time to time to prevent an accumulation of bacteria and droppings. Always monitor the food you put out and immediately discard of any food that has gone too damp or mouldy. Feeder Fresh is a product consisting of non-tocix absorbent granules and can be added to feeders to prevent damp.
Bird baths should also be cleaned regularly, and can be cleaned together with the feeders. You can use the same disinfectant soap as above, but use only a small amount, just enough to make a lather, and scrub well with a brush to remove algae and droppings. Again you can let it soak for 10 minutes or so, but be sure to keep it guarded to prevent birds from drinking the soapy water. It is very important to rinse the bath several times after washing to remove ALL trace of the cleaning agent. In summer aim to rinse out with plain water and refill bird baths every day. In winter you can do this once or twice a week.
Disease can spread easily via droppings, so brush them away with soapy water often and be careful to never touch them; ideally wear rubber gloves when cleaning your feeding station. The equipment you use to wash your feeders should not be used for any other purpose. Keep them in the shed or garage and do not take feeders into the house to wash. Always wash your hands throughly after handling anything that has been in contact with wildlife. You could make up a separate bottle of essential oil soap for this purpose, or buy one of the many antibacterial handwashes on the market.
Finally, bird food should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place, such as a garage, shed, cool pantry. Under these conditions they may last for up to 4-6 months. Check that the food hasn't gone off before feeding it to the birds. It's best to buy small bags of food at a time until you have established how much you need to keep your garden visitors fed.
Breeding
Although many gardens provide good feeding opportunites, few have adequate nesting sites. Neat "gardeners'" gardens and removal of trees have deprived many birds of chances to breed in the area. Some gardens may never be suitable for breeding, because birds need cover to avoid the eggs and young being stolen by predators and lack of disturbance by humans. However, often is the case that breeding birds CAN be supported, by the simple addition of nestboxes. There is a huge range of specialist nestboxes these days. The best option is the nestbox constructed from a mixture of sawdust and concrete, which provide defence against predators enlarging the hole and plundering the nest, and also provide good ventilation, reducing humidity in the box. They cost only slightly more than a good quality wooden box, and are a worthwile investment (some retailers offer a 25 year guarantee on this kind of box).
Different birds require different kinds of box. There are basically two types: hole nestboxes and open-fronted nestboxes. These can be bought from garden centres and specialist bird suppliers, or can be made quite cheaply at home.
Never use hole nestboxes that have a perch below the hole. Not only do birds ignore this - they just pop straight into the hole - but it also gives predators such as squirrels somewhere to sit, making it easier for them to reach into the box and devour the inhabitants. Hole nest boxes are used by birds such as blue great and coal tits; house and tree sparrows; nuthatches; starlings; and jackdaws. Open-fronted nestboxes are used by robins, wrens, spotted flycatchers, pied wagtails, blackbirds and song thrushes. Again, the overall size of the nestbox will vary depending on the size of the species. A starling nestbox will be bigger than a house sparrow nestbox, and a jackdaw nestbox will be bigger than a starling one. Hole sizes will also vary. A hole of 26mm will allow the smaller tits, but not a great tit or sparrow, to enter. 32mm will allow great tits, sparrows, nuthatches and smaller birds. This is the best size to start off with, as you will attract any of these small birds. Open fronted nestboxes will likely attract a pair of robins.
Siting the nestbox
The breeding season (Northern hemisphere) lasts from early March (sometimes late February if the winter has been mild) until the end of September, so aim to get the nestbox up around January, as this is when birds will start scouting for suitable nesting sites. Hole nestboxes should be placed at least 6ft off the ground. Try to get it facing east or north. South facing will suffer the full heat of the midday sun and can result in overheating the inhabitants. Also face it away from prevailing winds. Try to place it amongst cover, to provide protection from predators and weather and give fledglings somewhere to hide when leaving the nest. Predators to watch out for are magpies, crows, jays, woodpeckers, squirrels, pine martens, hedgehogs (for ground-nesters) and, of course, cats. There are ways to make nestboxes resistant to attacks by these creatures, such as placing 'prick-a-strip' over the roof of the box to stop cats and squirrels sitting on top and reaching inside, aromatic repellents, spiked belts to stop cats climbing trees that host nests and using the wood-concrete based nestboxes. Open-fronted nestboxes should take the above points into consideration, but must ALWAYS be placed amongst dense vegetation, preferably a thorny shrub/climber, as the young will be more vulnerable to predation. Remember: if you can spot the nestbox, then so can predators. Hide it even better. Users of open-nestboxes prefer to be nearer the ground, say around 5ft or less. Some birds are gregarious nesters and like to have other birds of the same species nesting nearby. Sparrows are the classic example, in this case special 3-in-1 sparrow terraces can be used. Other species like to defend a nesting territory and you are unlikely to have more than one pair of that species breeding in your garden. If you plan to put up more than one nestbox, aim to attract different species, for example a 26mm for blue tits, a 32mm for sparrows or great tits, and an open-fronted for robins.
Specialist Nestboxes
Besides the two main types of nestboxes described above, there are also boxes designed especially for certain species. There are boxes designed to imitate the natural mud-made nests of swallows and house martins. These can be put up indoors near the ceiling of barns for swallows, and under the eaves of houses for martins. There are also boxes designed to accomodate swifts, little owls, treecreepers. (Don't forget bats; you can buy special bat roosting boxes for them too). Before buying a specialist nestbox, you might want to be sure you have that species in your area. Swifts can usually be seen screaming over cities in spring and summer and may be in the company of martins. If you had either of these species in your town/city it may be worthwile putting up nests for them. Swallows are usually only seen in rural areas, so city dwellers shouldn't waste effort and money in putting up nests for them.
Nesting materials
Even if you cannot host a nestbox yourself, you can still help the birds with nestbuilding by providing nesting materials. You can buy special dispensers for this, or simply leave out suitable materials on the lawn or on branches. Suitable materials include 100% natural wool (not mixed with synthetic fibres), pure cotton fluff, hair, feathers, twigs, rootlets, straw, leaves. Some cheeky house sparrows even pluck feathers off live pigeons! I don't advise trying this yourself though...
Feeding during the breeding season
This has been mentioned before: stop feeding loose whole peanuts once the breeding season has started. Now, nestlings require a high protein diet to ensure proper development and here you can play a part. Mealworms are available from most bird food suppliers. These worms are 48% protein and 40% fat, which make them ideal for youngsters. Small amounts should be dispensed at first, as some birds take a while to try them. Once they find them however, they will keep coming back for more, so ration them if you are on a budget. Sparrows are particularly keen consumers (lack of insect food for nestlings in one suggestion for their decline). Dried mealworms lack moisture and are not recommended for nestlings, though perfectly adequate for adults, so save these for winter instead. You may wish to buy a squirrel- and large-bird-proof feeder so that the smaller birds get a chance to get at the worms. You can still feed the larger birds in a separate dispenser. Adults need high calorie food at this time as raising a brood is very draining. Peanuts in a secure mesh feeder, sunflower hearts, pinhead oatmeal, and berries are all good food for parent birds.
Hygiene
Wait until the breeding season is well and truly over before cleaning out your nestboxes. Remember, it is illegal to disturb an occupied nest (this includes those being built or repaired)in any way under British law, and you could face a jail sentence or large fine. It is known for people to take down nestboxes thinking them to have been unused only to find that there are nestlings there. Also bear in mind that parents may abandon the young if the nest is disturbed. So always leave the boxes well alone until the end of October. The box should then be taken down and opened up. Remove the old nest and scrub and disinfect the box (see hygiene above). Wooden boxes may need another coat of preservative. Sadolin, Fenceguard and Cuprinol Timbercare are recommended by their manufacturers as being safe for birds when dry.
Roosting
In winter, birds will often use nestboxes to roost in at night, so after you have cleaned out the box, you can replace it for the birds to sleep and shelter in.
Special roosting pockets made from natural materials are also available for a few pounds, and these should be placed in cover - among a hedge,shrub or climber - well out of reach of prowling cats. Many birds perish during harsh winters and giving them somewhere to sleep out of the reach of the elements can dramatically aid their survival through this tough time.
Finally, some links
Here is a list of some sites which may be useful to you and give more information on the points discussed here.
- The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - UK based bird conservation charity. Plenty of free useful information on feeding, hygiene, nesting. Profiles on all UK birds, including pictures and song. Standard adult membership costs £30 pa. Plus take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch.
- Bird Watch Ireland - Irish bird conservation charity. Plenty of useful information about wild birds. Standard adult membership costs €30 pa.
- Haith's - Bird food supplier. The best range of food for softbills, good prices. Endorsed by Bill Oddie.
- Garden Bird Supplies - Best range of feeders, with many squirrel-resistant varieties.
- Jacobi Jayne - Specialists of Droll Yankees feeders, good range of bird baths and suppliers of WoodcretePLUS™ nestboxes with a 25 year guarantee.
- CJ Wildbird Foods - Large range of nestboxes. Good seed mixes and wildlife reference material. Safety concerns about their tubular seed feeders though.
- BirdTrack - Bird recording database for the UK and Ireland.
- The British Trust for Ornithology - Plenty of statistics on British birds and bird profiles. Parent site of BirdTrack.
That is the end of this long bird article. Inshallah my next and final entry will be a British and Irish Garden Bird Factfile.
Samira
I am indebted to the RSPB for their information leaflets, from which a lot of the information in this article was obtained.