To feed birds, or not.

slowburner

Should we or shouldn't we?
I used to feed the birds. I even used to enjoy devising all sorts of different feeders.
After a while, I began to wonder if I was affecting diversity.
The experts at tapping in to these offerings are the various tits and greenfinches with robins always on the lookout for whatever falls.
These species were always present and I wondered if it was to the exclusion of other species.

So I stopped feeding the birds.

And the result?
- a significant increase in diversity, from three or four species to treble that number, in one season.

Mickeroo

I get what you're saying about tits and finches being the experts, its not often I see anything else in the garden. Having said that, the other side of the coin is that if I didn't have feeders out I wouldn't have any birds in the garden.

slowburner

Mickeroo wrote: »

I get what you're saying about tits and finches being the experts, its not often I see anything else in the garden. Having said that, the other side of the coin is that if I didn't have feeders out I wouldn't have any birds in the garden.

Where I am is out in the boonies and wild.
Chances are, the ecosystem here is always going to support a variety of birds and feeding just invites specialist feeders and the specialist feeders seem to actively deter other species.
What really struck me, was the absence of species other than tits and greenfinches - almost as if the other species were being bullied.
I should add that I have actively 'discouraged' magpies and grey crows from this particular neck of the woods over the past number of years - I feel sure that this has led to smaller birds feeling more comfortable.

All of these were absent when I used to put out food -
flycatchers
goldcrests
goldfinches
bullfinches
long tailed tits
wrens (their numbers have exploded)

It's probably a different situation if you are in an urban environment - there is less likelihood of the habitat supporting any population let alone a diverse one, without food being introduced.
There are also the negative effects of magpies and cats.

Maybe the thing is not to feed where there is already a decent natural habitat, if you want diversity.
I still think it would be an interesting experiment in an urban environment but obviously, it might mean doing without visitors for a while.

Rainbowsend

I try to have the garden as full of "natural" foodstuff as possible, so a mix of berry trees and shrubs, plenty of old logs, leaves etc to encourage insects and bugs, some grass and fruit trees (apple etc) even plenty of weeds that produce seeds and I think that encourages all sorts of different birds in. But I still put up nuts and fat balls throughout the winter to help out.

Yes I have more than my fair share of Sparrows, Finches and Tits but there is also quite a variety of other birds that visit, and there is nothing more rewarding when a "rarity" visits.

slowburner

I wish I had sparrows.
Are they in decline by the way?

CardBordWindow

My logic would be that by putting out feeders, it's attracting the finches/tits, leaving their natural foraging areas free for other species.

slowburner

Interesting logic. Perhaps feeders should only be positioned away from natural feeding grounds.

mossie

slowburner wrote: »

I wish I had sparrows.
Are they in decline by the way?

I think they are declining generally but I seem to have more this year than last

Rainbowsend

slowburner wrote: »

I wish I had sparrows.
Are they in decline by the way?

I had three sparrows nests in the garden this year, and one in particular had three broods, there is a dusty spot which they used as a dustbath and I counted 30 sparrows at one time all fighting for their own little dust spot, it was hilarious. There were so many of them they could empty the feeder in an afternoon!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If you have a mix of feeding methods - hanging, table, ground, - natural food available in plants and insects, and have cover, then you will have all the species you would want. I have had 53 species in the garden.

slowburner

Makes sense
Feeding on the ground, though - would you not be concerned about inviting rodents?

swifts need our help!

too many cats around here for me to worry about rats and mice

Kess73

Alani Witty Mulch wrote: »

If you have a mix of feeding methods - hanging, table, ground, - natural food available in plants and insects, and have cover, then you will have all the species you would want. I have had 53 species in the garden.

Spot on again. Feeding birds with good quality feed and also having natural food sources in the same area does no harm to the birds, and certainly improves variety in most cases when done for a sustained period of time.


53 species is damn impressive. I can only get to 47 species and that's only if I include my winter visitors in that count. If I am being very generous to myself I could get to 49 if I include the lone visit (and attack) by a peregrine (It touched the ground so maybe it counts ) and my one and only sighting of a pair of Long Tail tits (I am years waiting to see them in my garden and finally I saw a pair last week who checked out the feeders and left, so I am still hoping they return, especially as I have an unusual amount of other tits in the garden and on my lkand this month.)

swifts need our help!

It's very important to get birds used to your garden and good food before the frosts come and more so if / when snow falls.

Forget Tesco/Asda etc own brand seeds.

Dobbies Garden World in Lisburn Co. Antrim and all over Scotland and England sell a seed mix for every garden bird. Dont get sucked in!

Mark

starviewadams

We had feeders out during the summer for a month or two and we attracted loads of sparrows,robins and even two beautiful doves who used to pick up the scraps that fell on the ground from the feeder.

We had to stop feeding them when we saw two rats out one morning eating the seed off the ground though.

swifts need our help!

what seed were you feeding to the birds?

Mark