Wild Bird Guide: Who’s Who?

The birds that visit your garden will vary depending on a few things. Where you live will play a factor in who visits your bird feeders. Different species of birds are more popular in certain areas of the UK and there are even differences between rural areas and more densely populated places. The time of year might also play a factor in when you might see them as some migrate and are only commonly spotted during certain times of the year.

House sparrows were and still are the most common breed of wild bird in the UK, albeit their numbers have declined drastically. As their name might suggest, they’ve always had a close association with humans and generally choose nesting places that were often in gaps in their walls and roofs. Now that we tend to keep things a little neater by finding more advanced ways of insulating our homes, they have to find other places to make their own homes. Their declining population is also linked to habitat loss when it comes to searching for their insect-based diet along with the use of pesticides.

A great way to help the house sparrow is to encourage local insects into your garden. You can also provide a good seed mix and protein source like the Suet To Go Mealworm & Insect Suet Blocks to help keep them well fed.

Many bird enthusiasts love catching a glimpse of the robin’s characteristic bright red or orange chest. They’re beautiful birds to see in your garden, however, you might notice that they’re not the best at being team players. Even if there’s plenty of food for everyone, they can be the bullies of the bird table and chase off other species to make sure they get the best pickings. They can be territorial of their findings and not want to share but they’re still a beautiful bird to watch feed.

The robin's favourite food is easily mealworms. They eat a mixture of seeds and insects so this Peckish Robin Wild Bird Mix is a great addition to your feeders if you want to attract some of these burly little fellas.

Blue tits are skittish little birds, they are always on the lookout for predators so tend to not sit in one place for too long. Blue tits might gravitate towards a nice bird table rather than a hanging feeder as they can relax for a second while able to see all around themselves. They eat a diet of seeds, berries and insects but do have a particular affinity for fat balls. They use a lot of energy to stay alert so high protein balls like the Marriages Energy Balls are great for attracting these shy but beautiful birds.

While many people may consider pigeons a pest, especially farmers whose crops they enjoy snacking on, they still need some support, especially through the winter months. You’re more likely to see the largest breed of pigeon when they migrate here during the autumn and winter months. You can tell the difference between a woodpigeon and other species of pigeon by its pink chest. They feed from a diet of predominantly vegetable matter so they’re a great bird to leave your veggie scraps out for over winter. They especially love cabbage, peas and sprouts.

They can also be fed any grain mix but you can offer food made for domesticated racing pigeons too as it’s high in carbohydrates and fibre to give them plenty of energy. The Marriages Pigeon Maintenance Mix is a good option.

The common blackbird is another species of garden bird that isn’t the most social. You will more likely see them visit your garden on their own rather than with others of their own special as they only tend to meet up to breed. They can be a little territorial and feed on insects. As summer comes to a close, they will usually start eating more berrier as insects become a little harder to locate. You can offer them Honeyfield's Insect & Mealworm Feast Mix to keep them coming back for more.

There are a few ways to help out the wild bird population in your area. The main way is through offering them food, especially during the winter when their natural sources of food might be harder to come by. By placing a bird table like the Cheeko Ashford Deluxe Bird Table or hanging a bird feeder, you can not only enjoy watching the local birds but also help them to cope with seasonal changes and get all the food they need to thrive.

As we continue to develop more land and remove more of their nesting and feeding space, the more support we can provide for them is vital. With houses now being renovated and more new builds being developed, it’s harder for wild birds to find nesting areas among the cracks and make their homes in roof spaces where they shouldn’t be. You can even provide nesting boxes in your garden if you want the chance to watch baby birds take their first flights.

Birds are smart animals and remember all the good places they’ve previously found food. Even after a migration period, you will probably see familiar faces returning to your garden year after year if it proves to be a good place to find food. If you provide the best food to their liking and always replace it with fresh offerings, you’re more likely to see an increasing number of regulars. Birds like safe places where they can relax and enjoy their meal so if you have a cat-free home so they can eat, unbothered by predators, you may find yourself more popular with the neighbourhood population.

Life can be pretty hard for our wild birds so by offering them a safe space to feed and waste less energy in searching out their own food, they’re always going to come back time and time again. You can stock up on all the bird food you need to make your garden the place to be with fantastic deals in store and online.