Feeding garden birds.

[Khandro]

Is it advisable to continue feeding birds throughout the Summer months? At the end of the winter season I bought a job-lot of bird food - nuts, fatballs and seeds etc. and have continued feeding them, I have lots of trees and the garden is very bird-populated which I enjoy, but I am beginning to be concerned that this year's new generation of tits and sparrows see this as their only option. Should I continue, or try to wean them off my food in order that they can gain some Independence and search for more 'natural' food supplies?

[woofgang]

Now you have started you should carry on...stopping will be a human induced famine as the bird population will be adjusted to use the available food including what you supply. The RSPB now suggest feeding all year.

[SlackAlice]

I do feed in the summer but reduce the amount I feed. Some days I leave the feeders empty to encourage them to forage. The only thing I always supply is water for drinking/washing.

[Tilly2]

I feed the birds all year round and it costs a fortune. I hate it when the feral pigeons come and steal all the seed. They are a real pest but there is not much I can do about it.

[Khandro]

Thanks to all. I have plenty of food left, so I'll keep on going, which will be a good news to my feathered friends. No pigeons here, but a spotted woodpecker sometimes zooms in and takes over and is very acrobatic, everyone has to wait until he's finished for fear of a jab from that beak,- which I would fear myself.

[ladybirder]

Khandro the RSPB recommend you continue all the year round so you'll be doing the right thing.

[rowanwitch]

keep going to they learn to trust the food supply