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Home > Home & Garden > Articles > How can we help wildlife in the garden this winter

How can we help wildlife in the garden this winter

01:00 Wed 07th Nov 2001 | Home & Garden

A.� There are essentially two types of wildlife that we can lend a helping hand to in the garden this winter, birds seeking food and other creatures looking for a snug and secure place to bed down until next spring.

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Q.� There are lots and lots of different bird feeders on the market. Which are the best for what

A.� It's really down to personal taste and circumstances. Bird tables are excellent if you have room and some can make a pleasing feature.

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However, bear in mind that they tend to be a convenient height for the local cats. If you are going to have a table put it in an open position where our feathered friends will get plenty of warning of an impending attack.

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Some tables come with a roof, which, depending on your point of view, can be an advantage in that it discourages larger birds who may not only monopolise the food but, in the case of sparrowhawks for instance, make a meal of the smaller birds as well.

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For birds like tits and nuthatches the wire feeders which you hook onto a branch or the washing line are excellent. If you have a large squirrel population there are now hundreds of squirrel-proof feeders on the market which help ensure the food stays with the birds.

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And remember there are some birds who naturally prefer feeding from the ground, including blackbirds and thrushes. Scatter food directly on the grass or put it on a tray. If you've a big enough garden why not try all three methods and enjoy the range of birds they attract.

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Q.� What should we feed them

A.� During the winter months birds need to eat up to 40 per cent of their own body weight every day so offer some variety. All birds enjoy seed mixes (special high-energy mixes are available from pet shops), brown bread (soaked in water), dried fruit and apple. If you have an apple tree leave some of the windfalls on the ground for the birds to peck at.

Birds like woodpeckers enjoy fat or suet in a ball or spread on the bark of a tree.

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The days of throwing out old crusts and some peanuts are now gone. Dry crusts are difficult to digest and can absorb valuable liquids in the birds' stomachs. Peanuts infected with afla-toxin, a product of poor or damp storage conditions have actually killed many birds in recent years.

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Salmonella killed thousands of birds last winter and it is thought that rats could be one of the main culprits. It is vital to change food regularly, clean feeders in a mild detergent and freshen up water every day.

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Q.� What about hibernating animals

A.� The most popular winter garden guest is the hedgehog. You can even buy ready made hedgehog homes now, but they are quite happy burying themselves in a pile of leaves or under a stack of logs. You can entice them into your garden with food like peanut butter, meat leftovers, muesli and vegetables.

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Once they have settled in try not to disturb them, and if you are planning to light a bonfire just have a quick check that it isn't hasn't become a hedgehogs winter residence.

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Frogs and toads spend the winter buried in the mud at the bottom of ponds so help them by preventing your garden pond from freezing over, either by simply breaking the ice or floating a tennis ball on the surface to keep the water moving.

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Other creatures such as slowworms and even snakes will take refuge in piles of leaves and often the compost heap, so turn it over gently before driving a fork into it.

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It may look a bit untidy leaving leaves, logs and brush lying around but by doing so you could be providing some increasingly scarce animals an ideal winter refuge.

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If you've got a question about your home or garden, click here.

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By Tom Gard

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