FAQ: Food for birds

Seed feeding can continue in spring, but do not offer whole large nuts or dry bread, which parents may bring to chicks that could choke. In spring put nuts only in a mesh feeder.

Pheasants and partridges do well on grain mixes with wheat, maize and barley, scattered on the ground or in low feeders. Feed in moderation and in one place so food does not pile up and go mouldy.

Some poor-quality mixes contain seeds of invasive weeds such as ragweed, which may sprout under the feeder. Choose cleaned food or hulled seeds, which do not germinate.

Partly: tits prefer sunflower seeds, nuts and fat, while sparrows like smaller seeds, millet and grain mixes. A general wild bird mix suits both, and a variety of feeders attracts more species.

Half a fresh coconut with its flesh, hung from a branch, attracts tits, but it must not be desiccated or sweetened, as dried coconut swells in a bird's stomach. The empty shell can be filled with a homemade fat mix.

Rain and snow entering through open sides soak the food, which then quickly turns mouldy. Choose a feeder with a roof and drainage holes in the base or a tube feeder, and discard wet food.

The rules are the same: dry, cool and sealed. Since wild bird food is often bought in bulk, it more often needs protecting from mice and rats, so a metal or thick plastic bin with a lid is handy.

Wild birds, especially small songbirds, will eat budgie or canary mixes, but these are often more expensive than wild bird mixes. If you have leftover clean, unspoiled food, it can go in the feeder.

Black oil sunflower seeds are considered one of the most versatile foods, as many wintering species eat them. Adding fat, niger seed and unsalted nuts brings even more kinds of birds to the feeder.

Clean, unspoiled pieces of apple or pear suit thrushes, but potato peel, citrus rind and other kitchen scraps are not needed by birds and can attract rodents. Do not offer mouldy or salted scraps.

When water freezes, ducks and swans do well on grain, cracked maize, oat flakes and special waterfowl food. Feed in moderation and do not leave large heaps that freeze or attract rodents.

Dried insects such as mealworms add protein for insect-eating birds that struggle to find them in winter, and help in spring when raising chicks. Most seed-eating birds manage fine without them.

Yes, dry, uncooked oat flakes suit many wild birds and are often found in seed mixes or fat balls. Do not give cooked porridge, as it freezes, turns sticky and can clog a bird's beak.

Seal leftover dry, unspoiled food and keep it until autumn, or use it up by feeding in moderation. Throw away damp, rancid or moth-damaged food.

A little grated mild cheese in winter will not harm some birds, but salted, fried or seasoned meat and its fat are unsuitable. Meat scraps also draw rats, cats and other predators to the feeder.

For the first days give the same food the budgie ate at the breeder's or shop, and put some on the cage floor so it is easy to find. Start offering new foods and vegetables only once it has settled in, after a week or two.

Chicks start showing interest in solid food while still being fed, so at that stage they are offered soft vegetables, soaked seeds and pellets. Hand-feeding is reduced gradually according to the chick's development, and the exact timing and method are best discussed with a breeder or vet.

Parents raising chicks eat much more than usual, so their bowls should never be left empty. In addition, soft food such as egg food, soaked or sprouted seeds and greens is offered several times a day.

Keep the dry powder tightly sealed in a cool, dry place, as the pack directs. Mix the formula with water just before each feed and throw away leftovers, because once prepared it spoils quickly.

Formula that is too hot can burn a chick's crop, while formula that is too cold may be refused and is digested more slowly. Stick to the temperature the manufacturer gives, check it with a thermometer and do not heat it in a microwave, which creates hot spots.