Attracting Small Birds to the garden (1 Viewer)

[Neil_EvansUK]

We have a small garden, on a housing estate. There is little greenery around (and lots of cats.....). About four months ago I put up nut holder and fat balls.

I have had a couple of visits from a Robin but nothing else. Even to the stage of having to change the ball and nuts because they were going off.

Is there anything else I can do to attact more birds to the food. Or because of the environment it will always stay more or less the same.

I know during winter with less food available there should be a bigger demand, but with autumn gone the bushes are very bare. Maybe moving birds to better environments.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Neil

 

[Henry B]

Welcome to Birdforum.Neil.

 

[Neil_EvansUK]

Welcome to Birdforum.Neil.

Thanks for that Henry, and from someone north of the border!!! Truely international. Nice to hear from you.

Any other internationals out there who know anything about tiny english gardens....

 

[joycemillar]

Attracting birds

We have a small garden, on a housing estate. There is little greenery around (and lots of cats.....). About four months ago I put up nut holder and fat balls.

I have had a couple of visits from a Robin but nothing else. Even to the stage of having to change the ball and nuts because they were going off.

Is there anything else I can do to attact more birds to the food. Or because of the environment it will always stay more or less the same.

I know during winter with less food available there should be a bigger demand, but with autumn gone the bushes are very bare. Maybe moving birds to better environments.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Neil

Hello Neill and welcome to Bird Forum

When I started, it did take a couple of weeks for the birds to come - now 5 years later, I regularly have over 50 birds, although I do live in the countryside. The food that seems to attract most birds is sunflower seeds - I use the black ones - I think I read somewhere that the bids like them best. I think there is also a theory that birds like red feeders best, so if you are using a different coloured one, that might be something else you could try. Anyway I hope that you persevere - I'm certainly glad I did.

 

[Neil_EvansUK]

Thanks Joyce,

I currently only have a nut holder and fat balls. Do small garden birds generally prefer seeds? I've seen the plastic see through seed holders in local shops and couldn't decide if I liked them or not. But maybe one of them with seeds would be a good addition.

Thanks again.

 

[willowa]

Hi Neil.
you could try to deter the cats, if you have fences around the garden grow climbing plants up them. Also anthing spicky. Pyracantha is a good one with red berries the blackbirds love them cats hate them. Flowers also bring insects witch bring in birds.
I try to bring natural food into the garden they tend to stay all year round hope this is helpful.

willowa

 

[Frogbad]

Thanks Joyce,

I currently only have a nut holder and fat balls. Do small garden birds generally prefer seeds? I've seen the plastic see through seed holders in local shops and couldn't decide if I liked them or not. But maybe one of them with seeds would be a good addition.

Thanks again.

Fill a seed feeder full of either black sunflower seeds, or sunflower hearts (more expensive) which are the seed from inside the black sunflower seed. You should see a marked increase in birdlife to your garden if you have seeds as well as nuts.

I have Fatballs in my garden - but nobody seems to touch them much, they prefer the sunflower seeds, nuts and from the bird table the scraps of bread etc.

 

[moose1991]

Hi Neil.
you could try to deter the cats, if you have fences around the garden grow climbing plants up them. Also anthing spicky. Pyracantha is a good one with red berries the blackbirds love them cats hate them. Flowers also bring insects witch bring in birds.
I try to bring natural food into the garden they tend to stay all year round hope this is helpful.

willowa

Owww! I was going to suggest exactly that too.
Plant Ivy,cotoneaster and pyracantha.
Gives the birds some cover.

 

[Chris Oates]

I've gained a few more visitors by putting out water, scattering chopped apple & raisins for the ground feeders.

 

[Paul1853]

We have a small garden, on a housing estate. There is little greenery around (and lots of cats.....). About four months ago I put up nut holder and fat balls.

I have had a couple of visits from a Robin but nothing else. Even to the stage of having to change the ball and nuts because they were going off.

Is there anything else I can do to attact more birds to the food. Or because of the environment it will always stay more or less the same.

I know during winter with less food available there should be a bigger demand, but with autumn gone the bushes are very bare. Maybe moving birds to better environments.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Neil

Hi Neil.
I have what was actually a back yard, but lifted some flags and now have quite a pleasant ‘Garden’ complete with very small pond.. Have a nice holly bush (20ft plus high) and various other bushes/trees etc. In fact I have seen these yards described in estate agents language as cottage gardens!! I tried various foods to attract birds but the only one that really worked for me is Sunflower hearts and I now also use live mealworms (about 5000 per month are eaten). I now get Goldfinches (as many as 20 at a time but normally about 8) Blackbirds, the Thrush, Robins and Blue Tits. I have lived in this house for almost 20 years but it only this year we have started to attract small birds to out garden. Shows how the correct food works.
Paul

 

[Richard Bryce]

Neil, I endorse the Sunflower recommendations. Studies in the US show that Sunflower Hearts, followed by Black Sunflower seeds, are the seed of choice for almost all species (soft billed birds can't open the hard seeds). White Millet was next prefered by some of the smaller birds. It works out cheaper in the long run as a result of very little waste or weed growth. Nyjer (niger) seed is appreciated by the Goldfinches but it was the sunflower hearts that attracted them in the first place. I throw a cheap J&J mix on the shed roof for the big-appetite Wood Pigeons and Doves, which keeps them off the table. I also put out blocks of cheap 'own brand' lard, which the Starlings go mad for, and homegrown mealworms.

Other studies suggest that a supply of water is at least as attractive, and moving water even better. Any shallow container will do.

If there are cats around the birds will want to feel safe. Use a raised table for 'ground' feeders - e.g shed roof. The more birds you can attract (sunflower hearts) the more more watch-out eyes to warn of approaching moggie. Nearby branches for an escape route need to be high enough. Buddleia gows tall quickly and works well throughout the year.

Don't forget that many soft-bills prefer fruit to seed. Try cheap currants, raisins and sultanas, over-ripe pears, apples and bananas.

 

[owen40uk]

Keep trying

We had no birds for a couple of years to speak of, this year i put up numerous feeders on poles and still only got the odd blue tit and sparrow. I then tried niger seed in one, and found the finches appear, we now regularly get 20 goldfinches in the garden, greenfinches and chaffinch have appeared recently.

We have also recently pulled in long tailed tit, coal tit and a superb male blackcap in december. So keep at it they will come, we now have a garden list of 23 with Goldfinch the most common after starling, and we live in the middle of a housing estate with cats galore. We also attract 3 squirrels which are fun to watch if nothing else

Happy new year
Owen

 

[florall]

I would second what everyone else says about sunflower hearts - they really do seem to be the birds' preferred food. Also, you've got to bear in mind that, if other people in your neighbourhood are feeding the birds with foods that most birds seem to prefer, then the birds are going to ignore your garden. Like you, when I first started feeding a couple of years ago, I tried peanuts and ended up throwing them away because they'd gone mouldy.

There have been some good threads in the "gardening for wildlife" section of this forum in the last year or two, with suggestions of what to plant to attract birds. It really is worthwhile having plants to attract more birds, and to give them some cover, something that I'm sure could be achieved in even the smallest of gardens.

 

[Neil_EvansUK]

i put up numerous feeders on poles and still only got the odd blue tit and sparrow. I then tried niger seed in one, and found the finches appear,Owen

Mine have now been up a few weeks.

First visit was a Robin, but not been back.

Then three blue tits turning up together, trying out each of the food supplies before disappearing together.

Also a blackbird though it sat below the table awaiting the tits to chuck him some scraps (he'd normally go on the table no?).

Not seen returning, does it mean they didn't like it? (Neighbours garden way better....)
They'll keep it in mind for when weather and food supplies are worse?
They've gone off to round up their mates?

Got to track some niger seeds next.

 

[Cathy H]

Hi Neil,

Frustrating isn't it? You go to all the effort of putting food out for the little darlings, then no one comes to dinner. Don't worry, as the saying goes 'if you build it they will come'.

Often it can take birds a while to get used to new feeding areas, many folk on this forum have commented that even when they put out a single new feeder the birds don't seem to like it. I reckon that before long you'll be like the rest of us, that the birds will be eating you out of house and home.

Water is good, both for drinking and bathing. If there's not much greenery about you will need to add some, birds like cover for protection whether from cats or predators. By the way, we have blackbirds regularly and they go on the bird table as well as feeding on the ground.

For the cold weather I put out shredded suet (like Atora) and have suggested that to some others who found it successful in attracting the small birds like robin and tits. The most common foods stuffs are peanuts, sunflower seeds and hearts, bird seed, dried fruit and nyger seed although many folk do well without the last one. We've been here 3 years and our garden list is up to over 30 species with a new one visiting this morning - a pheasant. We are surrounded by woods though so I would suggest that more cover will certainly help. Sorry, I seem to have gone on and on,

Good luck, :t:

 

[deborah4]

It's worth persevering!!

:hi: Hi Neil

Nothing much to add to what the others have said, would agree with it all - Just as a word of encouragement, I moved into my urban garden flat 3 yrs ago. The garden, mostly patio with 3 foot borders all round, had no plants at all (apart from a few wild gladioli the rest a completely overgrown bind weed and stinging nettle jungle.

I got rid of all the bind weed but kept the ivy (for the snails and blue butterflies!) which grows along the top of the flint walls.

Ive planted berry producing shrubs, fruit trees, budlia, prickly shrubs to deter cats and its all beginning to mature nicely. Also, herbs and scented plants to attract insects & butterflies. Kept stinging nettles in pots or theyll take over again!)

Ive bought two large water baths this year and a hanging water bath last year (of blue porcelain so very attractive!)

Off ground Feeders include: sunflower hearts, wildbirdseed and peanuts
Low offground feeders include: fat balls, peanuts
On ground feed includes: sultanas, chopped fruit, crushed weetabix or wholeweat rye bread, and fat/suet crumble.

My regular garden list has gone from a couple of greenfinches and a robin (when I first moved in) to the following regulars:

Flocks of greenfinches
Flocks of starling
blackbirds
robin
blue tit
Great tit
coal tit
collar dove
wood pigeon
jay
magpie
wren
Long-tailed tit
pied wagtail
dunnock
house sparrow
gull

A few weeks ago: A grey wagtail for the first time!
And today: A saw a pair of chaffinch for the first time!

I also now have a resident squirrel (fortunately the neighbours have taken on the responsibility of keeping him regularly supplied with peanuts!) and a regular visiting fox which I leave out scraps for occassionaly (she's keeping me awake at night at the moment with her barking - but its a wonderful 'wild' sound)

Persevere - its really rewarding when it pays off! :bounce:

Good luck !

 

[Chris Oates]

I'm very new to bird feeding and started with the ubiquitous peanuts which eventually got eaten but didn't attract much variety.
Then included seeds in a tube feeder and another cage feeder which larger birds cant use and now have lots of Tits, Robins, Finches, Dunnock visting.
I've noticed that they all take time to accomodate changes and get used to me being in their space - they all used to 'alarm call' but now perch closeby when I bring food out and sometimes come to the food as I present it.
Lately I've been giving them apples & sultanas which are very popular but the 'must have' food has been the Co-op's no-salt Meusli mix - this varies from oat size grains to dust but there's never a trace of it left.
The Backbirds are eating the apple but taking sultanas away with them - maybe a brood - all the birds here are singing like crazy too.

 

[k.k.stevenson1]

Hi Every one .I have a small yard i put up two washing lines with a few feeders on.I have found Sunflower harts atract lots of different birds.I get lots of Goldfinches.sparrows blue tits great tits.a siskin know and again .robin. two Mistle thrushes in winter.

 

[hayfieldgolfer]

Neil

Keep going, it will take some time for the birds to get use to you feeding them. I have a pole feeder system, used to have one with peanuts in and two with mixed seeds. Have added two more feeders and have put niger and sun flower hearts along with adding a dearer quality of mixed seeds in feeders along with a fat feeder.

Noticed that the number of birds using the feeding station dropped initially, they do not seem to like change. Secondly birds eating more of the old type of food rather than the new, the old type of food I have used for years so perhapps they get used to eating what is available and take time to change.

Have also added a tray under the mixed seed feeder, more seed was dropped on the ground that the ground feeders were able to eat. Waste has now stopped and have to put seed on the ground now as the tray is too effetive.

Good luck

 

[tiomet]

I live in a built up suburb, have a tiny rear garden (and front garden) and have only been feeding the birds for a few months.

I have a few hanging feeders (one nyger seed, three large mixed seed, crushed peanut holder, one raised and one ground table, and two birdbaths (one high and one low). The large hangers have those tray attachments to catch falling seed and I put table food in those as well as on the table feeders.

That, given the area I have, is about the fairest amount of feeders I can provide and the birds descended within two days to feast. Granted the first comers were starlings but their example drew the sparrows and then came the blue and great tits, greenfinches and ... oh, I forgot the magpies and crows that were around anyway!

Foodwise I get the Ann Kennedy mix, the Aristocratic Superior High Energy one, to which I add sultanas and raisins, Atora suet granules, pinhead oats and rolled oats ... plus whatever else I have to spare ... rice or pasta etc. And I put out shell nuts for the jays, magpies and squirrels so that they can hoard them for the desperately cold days.

I think water makes the difference too, so if you have not put out bathing and drinking facilities for the birds that will swing the difference.

I do have cats, two indoors and four strays (for whom I provide feeding and sheltering areas, plus a hedgehog currently hibernating in a little house near the feeders, and two squirrles who call. I have not seen any birds taken by cats, and the birds and squirrels feed next to each other (I make sure the squirrels have plenty of food to their own taste and they have not yet disturbed the bird feeders in some nine months).

I had not thought, given that my rear garden is so small, and mostly tarmac for parking cars (which get left in the street so the birds do not get disturbed by cats who may hide underneath the cars) with paved surrounds, that I could decently offer the birds a feeding sanctuary. However, last summer I counted up to 40 sparrows and the same of starlings, four magpies, two jays, two carrion crows, a coal tit, great tit, blue tit, four greenfinches, two blackbirds and two goldfinches as every-day visitors. It is less frequented in the cold and I am concerned about the sparrows but the birds still come.

I do not have any trees. There is countryside not too far off, with trees and hedgerows and still the birds found me! My garden has 6 foot wooden slat fences on which they perch, which is nicely overgrown with ivy and up which I am training blackberry and raspberry bushes, firethorn and climbing roses. However, the birds know that I emerge each dawn, midday and mid-afternoon with fresh food and change the water and refill hangers and tables and they sit atop the roofs of the houses in the terrace and call out to one another when I appear. They cannot roost in my garden but they are safe to feed in it.

Okay, this was a long way of saying that even if you live in a build up area with a tiny, not grassy garden, the birds still find you and will come!