Do Magpies Really Kill Songbirds? What the Evidence Says
Magpies do take eggs and nestlings in spring — that part isn’t in dispute. But long-term national monitoring analysed by the British Trust for Ornithology found no evidence that magpie…
Are Peanuts Safe for Birds? What to Buy and What to Avoid
Peanuts are excellent bird food if you buy the right ones. Only use peanuts sold specifically for wild birds and certified aflatoxin-free — a fungal toxin in poor-quality nuts kills…
Bird Seed Sprouting Under the Feeder: How to Stop It
Switch to sunflower hearts. Cheap mixed seed is padded with wheat, barley and millet that birds reject and that germinates readily — hearts have the husk removed, birds eat virtually…
How to Make Your Own Fat Balls and Bird Cake
Melt hard fat — suet or lard, never margarine or cooking oil — and stir in roughly twice its volume of dry ingredients: sunflower hearts, raw oats, dried mealworms. Press…
What Nesting Materials to Leave Out for UK Garden Birds (and What to Avoid)
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The best nesting materials to leave out for…
Top 10 UK Native Berry Shrubs to Plant for Winter Birds
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The ten most useful UK native berry shrubs…
Why Is My Blackbird Bald? Scruffy Birds in Late Summer Explained
A bald-headed blackbird or a ragged-looking bird in July, August or September is almost always moulting, not ill. Most birds replace all their feathers after breeding, and some — blackbirds…
How to Attract Nuthatches to Your Garden
Peanuts and sunflower hearts bring nuthatches in, and they need mature trees nearby — this is a woodland-edge bird rather than an open-garden one. If you want them nesting, the…
Greenfinch: The Garden Bird That Disappeared
Greenfinch numbers recorded in UK gardens have fallen by around 67% since 1979 — more than two million birds — and they’re now on the Red List. The cause is…
How to Attract Great Spotted Woodpeckers to Your Garden
Peanuts in a mesh feeder and suet blocks are what bring woodpeckers in. Hang them near mature trees if you have them, and be patient — woodpeckers visit on a…