| Birdwatching is one of the nation’s favourite pastimes, with around three million adults in the UK taking part every year – many from the comfort of their own back gardens. Autumn and winter bring some of the most captivating moments for garden birdwatchers. As the seasons shift, migrating visitors arrive and depart while our native species settle into their winter routines. With natural food supplies dwindling, now is the perfect time to give garden birds a helping hand – and enjoy the spectacle they bring in return. Maria Kincaid, in-house Ornithologist and Research Specialist for FeatherSnap – the Wi-Fi enabled smart bird feeder that connects people to nature and is revolutionising garden birdwatching – shares her expert advice on how to attract more birds, from feeding tips to creating a safe and welcoming haven this winter. What are your top five tips for encouraging birds into a garden? Make it a healthy habitat – having native plants, insects for the birds to eat, cover, and nesting spots are a great way to attract birds to your garden! Minimize the pesticides – many birds eat insects, and making sure your garden is part of the ecosystem make sure that not only will your plants be pollinated, but the birds that eat the insects will come in! Protect from bird strikes – if you’ve got windows that have a glare, the birds may not realize that it’s not a spot they can fly through. If you’ve had birds hit your windows, consider adding UV dots or decals, so that the birds can see the glass. When hanging feeders near windows, make sure that they are within 3 feet so they birds can’t build up enough momentum to hurt themselves against the glass A messy garden is a bird friendly one! Leaving piles of sticks or fallen leaves in the corners of your garden make great foraging spots for ground feeding birds, and leaving seed heads on flowers will encourage seedeaters to come in for a snack. Provide water! How important is water – both for drinking and bathing – in attracting birds? Water is very important to birds! Most birds that are found in our gardens need water to drink, and caring for feathers helps in heat regulation and allowing for flight. If there’s not a natural water source nearby, adding a bird bath is a great way to attract birds. Make sure it’s shallow enough that birds can still stand or consider adding rocks or other perches in the deepest parts so that smaller birds (or bees!) can get a drink, or consider adding a fountain to your bird bath! Not only will it attract birds, but it makes it easier for some to take a nice bath. Make sure to clean it regularly and keep it full. What’s the ideal location to place a FeatherSnap feeder? Avoid windows! Best practice is to keep feeders either within three feet or more than ten feet from your windows, to minimize damage to birds via window strike. Also consider distance to trees and other jumping off points for squirrels. The height of your feeder should also be considered. At least five feet off the ground is a great height for avoiding squirrels, but also makes it easy for most of us to reach for re-filling and maintenance. Cats are ambush predators and can jump six-eight feet. I generally suggest placing your feeder somewhere near cover so that birds can get away to a place that makes them feel safe. Unfortunately, this also gives cats a great hiding spot. You can also add things to your garden to deter feral or neighborhood cats from coming in. As far as birds go, any birds that would be hunting other birds are quite agile. So, having your feeder in a semi-open spot, near bushes or trees that provide cover for them to escape to is great, but also allows for them to be vigilant in looking for aerial predators. Do garden birds show signs of recognising “regular” feeders or gardens they visit? They do! Certain birds, like many species of Tits, have incredible spatial memory, and not only remember where the food sources come from, but cache it for use over the winter, remembering several places they may have stored food. What role do garden feeders play in wider bird conservation in the UK? Studies have shown that feeders are used as supplemental food sources, rather than the bulk of a bird’s diet. Hanging and filling garden feeders help birds get through lean times, when native food sources are scarce. Everything you need to begin your birding adventure: The FeatherSnap Scout – RRP £159.99 FeatherSnap Wi-Fi Subscription – RRP £5.99/month or £49.99 annually Simply download the user-friendly FeatherSnap App and you’re ready to go! Visit www.uk.feathersnapcam.com to start your journey into the wonderful world of birds with FeatherSnap. |
