How to entice birds into garden?

Eenymeeny

If you buy from Wilko please be aware that some of their fatballs do not have the plastic netting on them. I picked up 2 packs of 6 recently and have just discovered this, Since I hang them around the garden it's a bit of a nuisance. Any suggestions how to use them up please since I haven't got one of those big mesh feeders? I know that I could return them but have already opened one packet. Thank you.
Just realised that I still have the empty nets lying around so I suppose that I could 'recycle'....

Davesnave

Nobody has suggested that the dearth of birds might be because the general area surrounding the garden is less hospitable to them. While birds aren't troubled by things like high fences, their range is restricted quite sharply by certain physical features.

For example, we have nuthatches and the occasional yellowhammer in our wild area, but in the garden they aren't seen. There are jays not that far away in woodland, but in the garden they're just not seen......and this is a very rural garden full of stuff to eat right now.

Grenage

Eenymeeny wrote: »

If you buy from Wilko please be aware that some of their fatballs do not have the plastic netting on them. I picked up 2 packs of 6 recently and have just discovered this, Since I hang them around the garden it's a bit of a nuisance. Any suggestions how to use them up please since I haven't got one of those big mesh feeders? I know that I could return them but have already opened one packet. Thank you.
Just realised that I still have the empty nets lying around so I suppose that I could 'recycle'....

I only buy them loose in the 50+ packs, but like you say, it's probably easiest to just use some old netting. Something like stuff you get onions in would probably do the job.

ceewash

Thank you for all this advice. I will encourage him to try again using some of these tips. I'll let you know if any progress is made with feathered friends.

sheramber

Netting on fat balls is dangerous for the birds. When the netting gets loose as the ball is eaten the birds' feet can get caught in it.

SamsReturn

For a cheap feed, i put out rice.
1kg Tesco rice is 45p. I boil a cupof handfulls each morning.
I've got an old freezer draw, it's like a cage on the lawn, so the bigger birds can't get in. Half the rice gets thrown straight on the lawn (for the bigger birds) and hals inside the cage.

Primrose

Tall fences won’t necessariky deter birds but putting bird feeders out on poles or a bird table out 8n the middle of a lawn WiLL quite possibly deter them because the birds will feel quite vulnerable out in the open especially if there is a sparrowhawl in the area.

They like to be able to feel close to where there is cover to which they can dart in and out for safety. We have a bush which has now grown to about 6 foot tall over the years growing in our lawn and have a bird feeder pole with several different bird feeder tubes hanging from it situation very close by. Virtually every small bird which feeds from there will take a seed or two from the feeders and dart into the adjacent bush to eat their food in safety. When I spotted a sparrow hawk make a dart towards the bird feeders and saw a couple of birds dart into the adjacent bush I realised why they like feeding from this particular location because they can quickly flee to somewhere safe.

Your dad really needs to let one of the shrubs grow to the same height as the bird feeders are located if that is possible

Lorian

If you are having trouble attracting birds, as other have said start with a feeder with sunflower hearts. They are not the cheapest food but there is no mess - and my local brood of various small birds will come for them even when the sparrowhawk is sat nearby, but they do turn the hedge into a motorway to hop along to them.

tyllwyd

I think the question about what else is in the general area around the garden is very relevant - if it's a built up area without many small birds, that is not going to help.


My suggestion would be to make sure he has plants in the garden which have berries in autumn and ones which attract insects, and to make sure that some of are tall enough to make an attractive perch. Does he have an area which is left a bit wild so that insects have a good habitat? As other people have said, in our garden in winter the birds love hopping around tossing leaf litter up to look underneath.

Francesanne

This afternoon I made my own fat bells(used clean yogurt cartons). Decided my little friends deserved an extra treat. Ground up concoction of suet,sunflower hearts, meal worms,grated cheese,seedless grapes & Niger seed.Melted lard and poured into mixture. Currently in fridge setting. Don't get huge variety of birds but love my little sparrows and blackbirds. Plus our little Robin has recently reappeared. Spend small fortune on bird food but worth every penny.