Bird Feeding Can Harm Some Species: 6 Ways To Do It Safely

Birdfeeding feels like a pretty noble thing. The UK’s bird population has, after all, declined by almost a fifth since the ’70s, and it’s true that many sadly starve in the barren, colder months.

But the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said that birdfeeding isn’t as straightforwardly good for all species as you might hope.

Following the results from this year’s The Big Garden Birdwatch, the charity saw that greenfinch populations seem to have declined by 67% since the programme began in 1979. They are now on the UK Red List in the Birds of Conservation Concern.

One of the reasons could be partly influenced by your birdfeeders, they said.

Greenfinch populations are shrinking for many reasons, but one of the biggest ones is trichomonosis, a disease that spreads easily from bird to bird at feeders.

Speaking to HuffPost UK, an RSPB spokesperson said: “Our research shows that large numbers of birds congregating around feeders can increase the chances of disease transmission.”

This is especially likely in summer and autumn.

The spokesperson also shared that the researchers looked at whether feeding might increase competition for some birds.

“Competition between species is of concern and was considered as part of the review. Whilst there is growing evidence of negative interactions between willow tits and beneficiaries of supplementary feeding like blue tits and great spotted woodpeckers, the link with supplementary feeding is unclear,” they shared.

“More research is needed to determine if species-specific interactions may require a more regionally or locally targeted approach.”

The RSPB’s chief executive, Beccy Speight, added: “We’re not asking people to stop feeding, just to feed in a way that protects birds’ long-term health. By making small changes together, we can ensure garden feeding continues to be a positive force for nature.”

The RSPB suggested two general rules: “feed seasonally. Feed safely.”

In practice, that means we should try to:

1. Use multiple feeders. “We would recommend having several feeding areas in one garden, perhaps a suet feeder in one spot and a seed feeder in another,” to reduce the risk of transmission, a spokesperson stated.
2. Steer clear of peanuts or seeds in your feeders from 1 May to 31 October, as that can lead to too many birds gathering in one place. “It’s okay to keep offering small amounts of mealworms, fat balls, or suet year-round,” the RSPB said.
3. Clean your feeders. We’ve written before about how to clean your feeders properly: “If possible, place your feeders in a different spot after each clean to prevent the build-up of contaminated debris underneath,” too, said the charity.
4. Move your feeders weekly. A spokesperson shared, “we advise moving individual feeders to a different spot each week (as well as being thoroughly cleaned), to avoid the build-up of any contaminated debris beneath (any existing debris should also be cleaned up).”
5. Change their water daily. “Only offer water if you’re able to change it every day and make sure it’s tap water. Water baths should also be cleaned weekly,” the RSPB added.
6. Get rid of flat-surfaced feeders, like bird tables. “Research has confirmed that there’s a higher risk of the disease spreading on flat surfaces, where contaminated food can collect for other birds to eat.”

And there are ways to help outside of changing how you use feeders, too.

Consider, for instance, planting bird-friendly food sources like sunflowers, teasels and ivy, which offer safer nutrition.