One of the controversies about feeding garden birds is whether they should be fed during the spring and summer months.
Many people only feed birds in the winter in the belief that they can get all the food they need in the spring and summer from natural food resources. Added to that is the fear that baby birds could choke on unsuitable food such as peanuts.
However, many bird and wildlife organisations promote the idea of summer feeding for a number of reasons.
Growing chicks need a large supply of invertebrates such as caterpillars and flies and these are often in short supply due the the lack of mature trees in many gardens. Parent birds may have to choose between feeding themselves and feeding their young.
By providing food for birds during the breeding season it means that the adult birds can feed on the supply you put out and give the natural food to their young. Even so there are some guidelines that you should follow when feeding birds in the spring and summer.
Try and put out as much live food if possible and avoid putting out whole peanuts. Provide peanut granules instead or use a wire mesh feeder to prevent the birds taking large chunks. If a lot of food is being left during the summer then reduce the amount of food you are putting out each day.
Take a look at this selection of bird feeders for feeding different species of birds.
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