How Long Does Bird Seed Last? Storing Seed, Peanuts and Suet Safely
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Stored cool, dry and sealed, most bird seed…
Blackcaps in Winter: Why This Warbler Now Visits UK Garden Feeders
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A grey warbler with a neat cap —…
Why Do Birds Throw Seed Out of the Feeder? (And How to Stop the Waste)
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. They’re picking out the bits they want and…
Live vs Dried Mealworms for Garden Birds: Which Is Better?
Beakfeeder is reader-supported. If you buy through our Amazon links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Live mealworms are the better food; dried mealworms…
Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe: The Christmas Plants That Feed Winter Birds
The greenery we bring indoors at Christmas is a genuine winter food source for birds. Holly berries feed blackbirds, thrushes and winter visitors; ivy berries ripen in late winter when…
A Year-Round Bird Calendar for the UK Garden
The garden bird year has a rhythm. Seeds and peanuts run 1 November to 30 April and pause over summer; suet and mealworms are fine year-round. Nest boxes go up…
Why Birds Look Fat and Fluffed Up in Winter — and When It Means Trouble
A bird that looks round and puffed up in cold weather is fluffing its feathers to trap warm air — the same principle as a duvet. It isn’t fat, and…
What to Do With Your Real Christmas Tree: Turn It Into Bird Cover
Stake your old real Christmas tree upright next to a feeder and it becomes instant winter cover — dense, evergreen, and exactly what small birds want within a couple of…
Should You Rake Up Leaves? What Autumn Tidying Does to Garden Birds
Clear leaves off lawns, paths and ponds — leave them everywhere else. Leaf litter under hedges and in borders is a winter larder: it shelters the worms, beetles and larvae…
Feeding Garden Birds When You’re Away Over Christmas
The birds will be fine. Garden feeding is supplementary and birds forage naturally throughout — they don’t become dependent and won’t starve because you went away. Don’t overfill the feeder…