If, like me, you enjoy a spot of birdwatching here and there, you don’t have to stop looking out for them because it’s cold outside.
In fact, there are plenty of garden birds to spot in winter – and if you know how to attract them to your space, you could turn your space into a bustling wildlife haven over the colder months. Besides dodging the things you should never feed birds in winter, a few of the right foods and water sources can make your garden a magnet for birds this season.
So, which birds should we be looking out for in winter? I spoke to a few wildlife experts to find out – and I’ve included some bird feed recommendations to get you started, too.
1. Robins
I thought I’d kick off my list of garden birds to spot in winter with one of the most endearing symbols of Christmas: the robin.
Red-breasted and jolly, the sight of a robin in the garden never fails to make me smile. At this time of year, their diet naturally shifts to foods more readily available in the wild during winter, which is why it’s important to plant berry-bearing shrubs and trees like crab apples and myrtle. Or, of course, you can stock your bird feeder with the food you know they’ll like.
‘Mealworms are irresistible to robins,’ says wildlife enthusiast and educator Wildlife Kate. ‘Hygiene is key, though – disinfect ports and perches daily if you can, and give feeders a thorough clean each week.’
You can buy a one-litre tub of dried mealworms for £5.99 from Amazon.
2. Blackbirds
Blackbirds are among the most nostalgic garden birds for me: they remind me of childhood, because they were the birds I'd see most often in my mum's garden. Like robins, they’re active in winter.
‘During winter, you’ll often spot blackbirds flitting around,’ says Chris Bonnett, gardening expert and founder of Gardening Express.
Blackbirds love mealworms, too, and Kate says you can toss any soft apples from the fruit bowl out for them as well. It’s worth making sure every winter wildlife care box is ticked if you want blackbirds to feel at home in your garden, though.
‘Fresh, unfrozen water is just as important,’ says Chris. ‘Pop a bird bath near bushes or shrubs so birds have some shelter while they drink.’
There are plenty of plants you can grow next to a bird bath to make it even more attractive to wildlife. Just make sure you know how to clean a bird bath properly, to keep wildlife safe.
If you're looking for a new bird bath, it doesn't have to be huge. I've got my eye on this speckled grey clover bird bath from Crocus.
3. House sparrows
Sparrows don’t migrate, so they’re another garden bird you’ll see a lot of in UK winters. Besides keeping a clean, unfrozen source of water available for them in your garden, it’s important to put out high-quality bird food.
‘Sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds are loved by most species,’ says Wildlife Kate. ‘Avoid cheap mixes packed with fillers like wheat. Instead, offer small amounts of nutrient-rich favourites.’
A bag of RSPB sunflower hearts is just £6 from Amazon. Whenever you put bird feed down, it’s also worth ensuring the feeding surface is protected and coated so it can be wiped down easily.
‘Wood, ceramic, metal, masonry and even plastic can all be protected using two to three layers of tried, tested and trusted paint like Protek Royal Exterior, which is safe for wildlife when dry,’ Kate says.
4. Tits
Despite the colder weather, blue tits, great tits and long-tailed tits are all extremely active during the winter months. They spend the shorter days busily foraging for food, which is where bird-feeding plants are the most valuable.
Great tits are actually one of my favourite garden birds – they have a black head, which is where they differ from their blue-headed cousins, and they make a distinctive, two-syllabled call which sounds a lot like they're saying 'tea-cher!'
Whether you make your own bird feed or buy it in, you’ll need to make sure you’re providing tits with energy-rich food.
‘Fat balls and suet are ideal high-energy fuel, especially for tits and woodpeckers,’ says Wildlife Kate.
'Attract the ‘lollipops’ of the tit world, the long-tailed tits, with a suet-based fat product. These gregarious, chatty birds will flock to good-quality fat balls in a hanging feeder.'
These Gardeners Dream Suet Fat Balls from B&Q are a good place to start, and you can buy hanging suet feeders from Amazon.
5. Goldfinches
A few years ago, goldfinches were like, well, gold dust to me. They’re not uncommon in the UK, but I’d never seen one in my garden – and after tracking down their favourite food, I finally spotted one.
The food in question? Nyger seeds – goldfinches love them, and you can even buy nyger-specific bird feeders to hold the seeds better (they’re tiny!), like this RSPB easy-clean nyger feeder from Amazon. You can buy Nyger seed from Amazon, too.
As Kate mentioned before, good hygiene is crucial if you’re putting out bird food.
‘Some species, especially finches, have suffered from diseases such as trichomonosis, often spread by dirty feeders and contaminated water,’ Kate warns.
‘Keeping feeding areas clean is essential. Damp seeds can harbour harmful bacteria, too, so keep food dry and use weatherproof feeders where possible and avoid letting food sit in the rain.’
Those are just some of my favourite garden birds to spot in the winter, and the best ways to attract them. Of course, my list isn’t extensive – there are plenty more birds that are active during the winter, like starlings, which I adore as well.
Keep planting things that attract birds, a fresh bird bath, and replenishing bird food on regularly cleaned bird feeders to invite as many feathered visitors into your garden as possible this season.
