March not only marks the start of spring but it’s also the beginning of the nesting season for birds. Much like in winter, gardeners are encouraged to leave food out for birds in spring time as it’s a crucial season for breeding and nesting.
Birds need a high-energy diet at this time of the year so they can build nests, lay eggs and feed their young, and as the nights can still be cold in spring, it’s important for birds to build up their fat stores to keep warm. Gardeners can help out by ensuring birds have access to an abundance of food, particularly foods that are rich in protein and energy.
One food that wildlife experts recommend offering birds in spring is grated cheese as it’s both a source of protein and has a high fat content, which is especially good for birds during the nesting season. It is particularly enjoyed by robins and wrens so these birds will thrive from the protein-rich food at this time of the year.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said: “A bird’s gut is not designed to digest milk, which can cause a serious stomach upset or even death. Birds can, however, digest fermented dairy products such as cheese, which attract robins, wrens and dunnocks.”
It’s recommended that gardeners offer mild, grated cheddar or other hard cheese, whereas soft cheeses like brie and blue aren’t suitable.
Bird food specialist Peckamix adds: “Kitchen scraps should be fed carefully alongside good quality seeds, suitable foods include unsalted fats and meats, small amounts of occasional bread, mild grated cheese, cooked potatoes, and pastry made with real fats.
“Food scraps can be fed on the ground, on a bird table, or hung in a suet block feeder. Mild grated cheese is a favourite of Robins, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Thrushes, and Wrens.”
But gardeners are also urged to be mindful not to overfeed birds as an excess of food can attract other wildlife, such as rats, squirrels and pigeons, which can make it harder for smaller birds to get to the food.
Really Wild Bird Food saod: “If a lot of food is being left in feeders then make sure you’re removing it and reducing the food you put out.
“It’s always best to minimise the amount of food left in and around feeders so as not to attract predators, vermin and disease.”
