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BIRD FEEDING IN WINTER J
ust keeping warm is the greatest demand on our tiny garden birds during the winter months and it is the additional energy they obtain during the day which allows them to survive the cold nights.
Maintaining a core body temperature which is typically 2°C higher than ours, but in a frame with a much greater surface area relative to its volume, is no mean feat. Birds’ energetic lifestyle also means they must consume extra calories, when they may have to shiver throughout the night to stay warm.
If they have managed to lay down enough fuel in the form of fat, most species can withstand surprisingly low temperatures for a few nights but making sure that they can get this fuel is, quite literally, vital.
Therefore, we can all help with supplementary winter feeding by providing a generous supply of high- energy foods that are easier to process. An abundance of activity at the bird feeders is evidence that they are very much aware of the need for additional food.
Sunflower hearts are a great staple, allowing birds to feed at maximum efficiency as they do not waste energy de-husking the seed first; or try no-waste mixes such as CJ Wildlife Hi-Energy No Mess Seed Mix.
Use with tables or hanging seed feeders which are designed with perching rings rather than traditional straight perches as these allow birds to feed in their natural position, facing forward. This improves visibility when looking out for predators, giving them the confidence to stay at feeders longer; vital when daylight hours are limited and temperatures are sub-zero. Fat-based foods are a great way to pack essential calories into a small space. Both favourable with the birds for concentrated energy source that the body can store, but also very versatile to use in a variety of feeders or simply put on the ground. CJ Wildlife Peanut Cakes and Fat Balls are enormously popular and come in a range of recipes with added nutrients.
You can also add food around quieter parts of your garden for the more timid
species, but always ensure that you have a good supply of food in store so you don’t get caught short when your garden birds need it the most.
Try to avoid disturbing the feeders, whether refilling or cleaning, during the first and last hours of the day. These feeding times are generally the busiest, and most important, as the birds recover from or prepare for the long night. You may want to think about putting out extra feeders during cold snaps to reduce queues.
This is a key time of year to find variety and action at the feeders; time to welcome the winter visitors such as the brambling, redwing and fieldfare which have travelled thousands of miles to escape the harsher weather in Iceland, Scandinavia, or Russia. Plus, increasing numbers of starlings and goldcrest are present as resident numbers are joined by relatives from the continent. And finally, with birds consuming lots of dry seeds, don’t forget to make sure that there’s always clean, fresh water available for drinking and bathing to keep their plumage in good condition.
30 SCOTTISH WILDLIFE NOVEMBER 2020
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