The latest on feeding birds
Recent concerns around avian diseases such as trichomonosis have triggered warnings from the RSPB, and others that bird feeders may no longer always be a helpful way to connect to nature in our gardens, particularly during the summer months. New “feed seasonally, feed safely” guidelines hope to slow the spread of disease, which is largely blamed for declines in species such as greenfinches and chaffinches.
The updated guidance has been developed with the BTO and Institute of Zoology, who say they have reviewed the available science, with the full report expected in due course. However, given the long-standing popularity of garden bird feeding, and the involvement of major players in the UK pet food industry, this advice may prove unpopular and slow to be adopted. In particular, the recommendation to remove garden feeders between 1 May and 31 October may be challenging for many.
While this period does coincide with peak bird numbers, it risks overlooking the broader, year‑round problems created by large numbers of birds feeding in the same place. That said, it does arrive at a time when there is real scope to shift our focus towards providing birds with natural, widely distributed food resources across the countryside.
Feeding birds the farmland way
When it comes to feeding our native birds at scale, farmers have been leading the way for decades. While we await the full RSPB report, our recent article on over-winter bird feeding provides advice for farmland bird feeding. Largely speaking, well-designed and managed wheat feeders, combined with high quality habitat, remain one of the most effective ways to support birds whatever the season.
When we look at an ideal farmland habitat there are some key features we can focus on, which provide food naturally, will be appropriate for more than just granivorous bird species, and spread the food over a large area – minimising disease hotspots and maximising food availability.
Hedgerows – keeping the countryside’s veins healthy
Hedgerows can be described as the veins of our countryside, providing essential food, shelter and connectivity for wildlife. A well-managed hedge should be dense, bushy and filled with food, but striking the right balance is key. Cut too often, hedges become woody, leafless and fruit‑poor. Left unmanaged for too long, they can thin out, become easy for predators to penetrate, or eventually turn into trees – valuable in their own right, but far less useful for many priority farmland birds.
A hedgerow cut roughly every three years is preferable for much of our wildlife that relies on them. This keeps the hedge in check while also allowing it to flower and fruit. It is this fruit which, in the case of bird feeding, is truly vital. Species such as hawthorn and blackthorn only flower and fruit on their second-year growth, meaning annual cutting prevents berry production altogether.
If you really want to maximise your hedge-cutting regime, cutting hedges in different areas of your farm on different years will mean there’s always some fruit-filled hedges on your land at any given time. Preferably aim to cut a third of your hedges every year and keep it randomised.
A mixed species hedgerow is also essential. Hawthorn and blackthorn provide early food for pollinators and produce berries later in the year. Similarly, species such as dog rose and elder extend food availability into summer. Favourites such as blackberries, sloes and damsons provide a crucial final boost before winter. While tempting for ourselves, it’s worth remembering to take only what we need and leave the rest for wildlife.
Even when flowering, hedges support a wide range of insects, which are in turn essential food for many birds, particularly during spring when adults are feeding chicks. Dense hedge bottoms can also offer shelter for species such as grey partridge, protecting adults and chicks from weather, livestock, machinery and giving somewhere to hide from predators.
Margins – space to make a difference
Field margins and areas of set-aside can provide similar respite from the busyness of farming activity and from any agrichemicals used in the arable crop. When planted with wild bird seed mixes you add an extra layer of benefit for birds. These mixes include seed bearing plants such as kale and linseed, as well asnative weed plants, all of which provide important food for birds.
Even margins designed primarily for pollinators can significantly boost invertebrate numbers, supporting insect‑eating birds and their chicks. GWCT sampling often highlights how crucial many non-crop/margin habitats are for farmland specialists such as Grey Partridges through the use of our Grey Partridge Chick Food Index and General Farmland Bird Food Index. With these areas on a farm most often meeting the bare minimum requirements for insect chick food availability to sustain a population of Grey Partridges.
If you are aiming for the highest wildlife value then longer established margins are the best of the best, provided they are still flowering and setting seed. It takes time for birds and insects to settle into a habitat and the best ecosystem services come from an established community of diverse species. Of course, not all mixes last a long time and often require a refresh every few years. This can limit the habitats benefits and also costs farmers time and money. Good soil preparation, thoughtful seed choices and smart management can all help the longevity and success of a mix. Native, soil appropriate seeds are most likely to establish well and will also cater best for our native wildlife.
The Grey Partridge Mix covers these key facets of optimal margins well. Native, well considered plants in the right ratios means that this mix can provide flowers and seeds for as long as 10 years. Open, insect rich plants such as yarrow and clovers support chick food in early life, while seed bearing crops like kale, quinoa and linseed provide winter shelter and food for partridges and other farmland birds such as yellowhammer and linnet. The result is a mix that benefits birds, pollinators and small mammals alike.
Weed tolerance – can we find the perfect balance?
Weeds in arable fields can play a surprisingly important role in supporting farmland birds, particularly at times when food is otherwise scarce. Many plants we label as ‘weeds’ produce seeds and harbour insects that are vital components of bird diets. Species such as chickweed, knotgrass, fumitory and fat‑hen may compete slightly with crops, but they also provide a steady supply of small seeds and invertebrates that birds can access directly within cropped landscapes, without needing to travel long distances to find food. Crucially insect larvae on broadleaved weeds provide significant boosts for chick rearing in species across our farm landscapes.
Some of the most successful corn bunting populations our researchers have come across occur on farms where weeds are tolerated to a degree, rather than eliminated entirely. Corn buntings, along with other declining farmland birds, rely heavily on weed seeds outside the breeding season and on insects during chick rearing. Fields that retain a modest level of arable plants tend to support richer insect communities and a more continuous food supply, which can translate into better breeding success and higher winter survival.
Of course, there is a real trade-off between productivity and wildlife, and blanket reductions in weed control are rarely realistic. However, tolerance can be applied in a targeted, time limited way, for example, by allowing higher weed levels in spring and early summer when insects are most valuable, or by relaxing control in field corners, margins or lower yielding areas. Allowing weeds to set seed later in the season can also provide winter food with minimal impact on the following crop if managed carefully.
A related, often overlooked factor is invertebrate availability linked to livestock management. The use of wormers is sometimes essential for animal health, but minimising their use to what is genuinely necessary, under veterinary guidance, can have wider environmental benefits. Some wormers pass through livestock and reduce the number of insects that colonise dung in fields. Where dung beetles and other invertebrates are abundant, they create rich feeding opportunities for birds such as starlings andwagtails, contribute indirectly to healthier soils and even support bat populations.
Taken together, these small, considered decisions, tolerating a bit of weed growth, timing control measures carefully, and using livestock treatments responsibly, can make a meaningful difference for farmland birds, while still keeping productive farming at the core.