Gluttonous Birds?

Stheno

hi everyone,

I've just a quick question, we have a bird feeder in our garden with a holder for nuts and one for seeds.

Normally we'd refill it a couple of times a week, but the past two weeks, we are having to refill the seed every day and the peanuts every day and a half.

Is this a time of year when birds are especially hungry? We do get lots of different birds into the garden (have no idea of any of them) up until 9 in the evening.

Thanks

cuddlycavies

Time to stop using it. The birds are raising young and have become dependant on your feeder. The young birds will not do well without a mixed diet. Probably a large family of blue tits. They need to hunt for grubs also.

Stheno

Thanks.

How long should I stop for? Do I phase it out of use or just stop overnight?

Enjoy having the feeder and watching them mill about

magicbastarder

if you're willing to stump up the money, you could get some mealworms; they're much more expensive than seed-based food, but is more in line with what the nestlings need. but it's not something you would want to start and then stop in a week or two because you head off on holidays, for example.

Stheno

No plans for any holidays

where would I get mealworms?

I've noticed alright that there are a lot of much smaller birds than usual, ones with blue and yellow markings.

We have blackbirds, robins, some fat pigeon type things that waddle about on the grass, and some small brown birds, but it's the coloured yellow and blue ones which seem to have increased in numbers. Are those tits?

magicbastarder

lidl or aldi had mealworms in the last week or two for cheaper than usual - but that's still noticeably more expensive than seed.

Stheno

I'll try them tomorrow so, otherwise our local petshop might have them too.

Do I stop completely with the seed/peanuts and replace with mealworms?

Prowetod

I'm not certain but I think Srameen said that there is nothing wrong with feeding through the summer.

Stheno

eoccork wrote: »

I'm not certain but I think Srameen said that there is nothing wrong with feeding through the summer.

That's what I read too, but the past two weeks, the volume of birds and the amount of food they are going through is worse even than during the really bad snow, which is why I was asking. Like I said above we do get a fair variety of birds in, but I don't want them becoming over dependant on the food, but equally I don't want to completely stop partly as I enjoy watching them in the evenings and it's great to see them tootling about the garden and hunting down worms and the like.

doctor evil

You could leave out fresh water in a home made bird bath (bin lid and bricks) It's great fun watching them splash about.

I'm noticing my Nyger seed is going slowly while any grinded peanuts and sunflower seeds go v.fast.

I thought the parents mainly use it as fast food for themselves and introduce fledglings to it but not hatchlings?

cuddlycavies

Stheno wrote: »

No plans for any holidays

where would I get mealworms?

I've noticed alright that there are a lot of much smaller birds than usual, ones with blue and yellow markings.

but it's the coloured yellow and blue ones which seem to have increased in numbers. Are those tits?

Yep, those are the blue tits and it's likely they have a large clutch. I'm pretty sure that seeds alone will not raise them healthily. They need worms,grubs,caterpillars.

1squidge

Its the time of year with young birds fledging so your feeders will empty quicker. Keep filling them if you have enough food to keep going, Birds will look for other more natural sources of food as they teach their young how to forage.
In my own garden I had flocks of House sparrows and Starlings both using feeders and nearby trees, hedges and lawn to get their food.
So keep filling and enjoy the birdlife that comes into the garden that you are giving a helping hand in their start in life. Ger.

Stheno

Thanks again everyone, I'm still a bit confused but I'll keep feeding for now.

definitely going to try and set up a bird bath, that sounds like fun!

Kess73

You are doing no harm by refilling your feeder daily if you can afford to do so.


A mixed seed feeder at this time of year can have anything from a wren to a feral pigeon feeding from it, plus throw in all the extra young birds that are around at the moment.

Birds like the various tits will use the feeders to add to what they catch themselves for their young.

seed feeders, suet balls/suet filled coconuts, live/dried mealworm, wax worm etc etc in gardens are a great help to garden birds, but especially in winter and during the breeding season.

If you stop feeding, the birds will adapt to that within a few days and move on to another spot where there is more food, be it from another feeder or food that they find in the wild.

One thing that is pretty much agreed upon by most organisations is that putting out feeders is not a bad thing, and any good clean food sources provided by people only help various species.

I go throw an awful lot of seed at this time of the year every year, with the mixed seed feeders and the nyger feeders often needing to be filled a few times a day, and the same goes for the birdbath.

I also feed live mealworm to a group of regulars that handfeed from me, some of whom have survived a number of years now with me, and are totally confident in landing on me and coming to me, but who will not let anyone else in the house approach them.

My advice is for you to feed away is you want to. You get to help your visitors and they keep coming for you to look at. Win win.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

cuddlycavies wrote: »

Time to stop using it. The birds are raising young and have become dependant on your feeder. The young birds will not do well without a mixed diet. Probably a large family of blue tits. They need to hunt for grubs also.

No. No. No. At this time of year adult birds need all the protein they can get. They will feed the right food to their young and will appreciate your help in providing them (the adults) with something to keep them going through what is an exhausting time.

My feeders are being emptied at a tremendous rate and it's the adult House Sparrows, Tits, and Finches who are doing so. They are eating the nuts and seeds themselves and still feeding flies and caterpillars to their young.

Water is also vital now as their feathers are in need of attention when nesting.

cuddlycavies

Edith Flaky Tablet wrote: »

No. No. No. At this time of year adult birds need all the protein they can get. They will feed the right food to their young and will appreciate your help in providing them (the adults) with something to keep them going through what is an exhausting time.

My feeders are being emptied at a tremendous rate and it's the adult House Sparrows, Tits, and Finches who are doing so. They are eating the nuts and seeds themselves and still feeding flies and caterpillars to their young.

Water is also vital now as their feathers are in need of attention when nesting.

Fair enough, I stand corrected:)

Stheno

Thanks again to everyone, I'm going to definitely continue on. One thing I've noticed is that if I replace the seed mix with sunflower seeds, I've to fill up twice a day, what's with the big preference for sunflower seeds?

doctor evil

Stheno wrote: »

Thanks again everyone, I'm still a bit confused but I'll keep feeding for now.

definitely going to try and set up a bird bath, that sounds like fun!

Once a week or so it is a good idea to empty it fully and rinse with some dettol/milton.

I would be wary of mixed seed as a lot of it is wheat used as a filler which is loved by rats!

stupidusername

yeah I definitely agree, don't stop feeding them. they're going so crazy because they're doing their best for their young. though yes mealworm would be better. taking away their food source right now would be harsh on them.

After another while, phase it out, if you're not able to keep feeding them over the winter, as they'd need to not be dependent on it by then. and as already pointed out the bath would be a good idea if you still want them around.

oh and the fat waddling pigeon looking types would be wood pigeons, i'm guessing.

Half-cocked

I believe that young fledglings can choke on whole peanuts? Use feeders that force them to peck off small pieces or grind up peanuts for ground feeding birds.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

doctor evil wrote: »

I would be wary of mixed seed as a lot of it is wheat used as a filler which is loved by rats!

Honestly, a seed mix is fine. Birds will enjoy wheat and rats will love any seed. I've used a seed mix (including wheat) for nearly 50 years and the birds eat it willingly, with little Rat problems.

doctor evil

I've had birds pick through the mixed seed and dump a lot on the gound which the pigeons loved. There is more control to be had with straight feeds.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Let's agree to disagree on this. Maybe my birds are less fussy than yours.

cscook

I used to be surprised at how quickly our seed feeder went down - till I saw a magpie hanging out of it. I don't so much mind the pigeons patrolling underneath to scavenge whatever the chaffinches and dunnocks don't get first, and I don't mind the starlings either (except for the amount they can put away!! and anyway they mostly only come when they're really stuck for other supplies) but I do not like to think I am paying good money to feed magpies.