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• Find out how to make your own bird feeder, what type of food is best, and some squirrel proof bird feeder varieties.
• The nature experts reveal the big dos and don'ts when it comes to bird feeders.
• Discover where to buy the best bird feeders and how to clean bird feeders, stations and tables.
Bird feeders are a great way to attract more birds into your garden and also provide our beautiful British species with much-needed food all year round.
Countryliving.com/uk spoke to Ness Amaral-Rogers from the RSPB and Ben Kane, the founder of Boxwild (a company that provides gifts for bird and wildlife lovers) to gather some expert tips on the big dos and don'ts when it comes to bird feeders, how to make one yourself, and the best ways to squirrel proof your bird feeder.
How to make your own bird feeder
There are several easy and clever ways you can make your own bird feeder.
"Homemade bird feeders are a fun way to be involved with the wildlife in your garden," says ben. "Bird feeders are really easy to make and upcycling the most basic items from your weekly shop is a fun way to involve the kids and show how reuse can be so simple."
Ben revealed some of his favourite ways to create and upcycle bird feeders yourself…
BIODEGRADABLE OPTIONS
Orange skin feeder
1. Orange skin halves can be filled with a blend of lard and seeds and hung in a tree to make a biodegradable fatty feeder.
Bread and spread
1. Spread peanut butter or lard on a slice of bread and dip it into a seed blend.
2. This can be hung from a tree to make a great bird feeder.
3. Use a no added salt peanut butter as the birds don't need any additional salt in their diet.
Pine cones
1. Pine cones make great fatty bird feeders. They can be rubbed in lard or peanut butter and dipped into your choice of seed blend.
2. These camouflage well in your garden as they are natural looking and also provide great feeding stations. Don't forget your low salt peanut butter!
Dried sunflower heads
These make super simple totally natural bird feeders – simply allow the seed heads to dry and feed a string through the top and hang it in a tree. Birds will flock to these in all seasons.
Halloween feeder
1. At Halloween, save your pumpkin to make into a seed bird feeder.
2. Remove the lid and trim the top of the pumpkin down to make a dish.
3. Feed string through three sides of the pumpkin so that it can be hung from a branch and you have an awesome compostable feeder.
Apple feeder
"A super easy one to do if you have any spare apples," Ness added.
1. Start off by taking the core out, then press sunflower seeds into the fruit.
2. Stick two sticks into the apple to make a perch and hang it up with string.
Homemade fat cakes
1. Melt the suet or lard in a bowl and mix in seeds, nuts, oats, dried fruit or cheese.
2. Meanwhile, make a small hole in the base of a yoghurt pot and run a string through.
3. When you tip the mixture into the yoghurt pot, be sure to run the tail of the string through the centre of the mixture so that it will be firmly fixed in the middle when set.
4. Leave in the fridge until set.
5. When the cake is set you can pop it out of the yoghurt pot and hang it in your garden.
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UPCYCLED BIRD FEEDER OPTIONS
Cardboard roll feeder
"A used cardboard tube from kitchen or toilet roll makes a great feeder," Ness said.
1. Create four holes at the bottom of the tube to later poke a couple of sticks through in a cross section.
2. Make two holes at the top to loop string through so to hang up.
3. Before putting the sticks in, use a knife to cover the tube in suet or lard and roll in bird seed.
4. Carefully thread the sticks through the bottom to make little perches and tie thick string through the top two holes. Hang on a tree branch or on the washing line.
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Old plastic bottle feeder
1. "Recycled plastic bottles and milk cartons can be hung from a branch by the cap end or handle," Ben said. "Feed a stick through the bottle on each side to create a perch with a hole cut above it. The seed can be pecked at by the perching birds, making a great feeder."
8 DOS AND DONTS OF USING BIRD FEEDERS
1. Do use a good seed mix
"Seed mixes can vary wildly in quality," Ness said. "The better mixtures contain plenty of flaked maize, sunflower seeds, and peanut granules. Small seeds, such as millet, attract mostly house sparrows, dunnocks, finches, reed buntings and collared doves, while flaked maize is taken readily by blackbirds.
"Do avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils as only large species such as pigeons can eat them dry. These are added to some cheaper seed mixes to bulk them up."
2. Do include these seeds
"Do fill feeders with nyjer seeds and black sunflower seeds – these are high in fat and are an excellent all-year round food," Ness said.
3. Do give scraps
"Leftovers from your dinner are a tasty treat," Ness said. "Bread is fine but is really just a filler, top up with unsalted fat, cooked potatoes, mild grated cheese, dried fruits, apples, pears and both raw and cooked pastry."
4. Do feed all year round
"Not only will the birds learn that your garden is a haven and visit continuously but birds need feeding in the winter when food is low, and in the summer when they're busy feeding their chicks," Ness said. "You may see a dip in visitors during the autumn when birds move to the countryside to take advantage of the plentiful food in the hedgerows and fields. But don't worry – they'll be back!"
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5. Do clear up any leftover food
This is so it doesn't go mouldy or attract rats. At the end of the day is usually best.
6. Don't use cooking fat
"Don't use cooking fat in bird feeders as meat juices present are not good for birds' feathers," Ness said. "Also avoid margarines, vegetable oils, milk, cooked oats, desiccated coconut, any mouldy food and anything salted."
7. Don't use peanuts
"Salted or dry roasted peanuts should not be used," Ness said. "Peanuts can be high in a natural toxin called aflatoxin, which can kill birds, so always buy from a reputable dealer."
8. Don't forget the water
"This is essential for birds for drinking and washing their feathers," Ness said. "Please make sure that you clean it regularly so that diseases don't spread easily. This is the same for your feeders."
HOW TO SQUIRREL-PROOF YOUR BIRD FEEDER
Grey squirrels can be a bit of a nuisance for bird-lovers, as they have nifty ways of gaining access to the bird food left out in the garden.
"Squirrel proofing bird feeders is the most commonly asked question I get," Ben said. "This is a difficult task as squirrels are very clever and super determined. I swear squirrels think the bird feeders have been put there entirely for them!"
Here are some ingenuous ways to keep the squirrels away...
1. The olive oil trick
"One of the most simple means to stop squirrels from damaging your feeders and eating your bird seed is to hang your seed feeders from a tall purpose made feeding station and apply a regular coat of olive oil to the pole so it is really slippy," Ben said.
"This means the squirrels can't hold on and slide down the pole when they try climbing up it."
2. Keep away from trees
"The feeding station needs to be away from trees or fences as they will jump from them on to your feeding station," Ben said.
3. Squirrel proofing contraptions
"There are many other options for squirrel proofing," Ben said, "such as sliding sheaths to cover the seed feeders, feeders that spin round when squirrel weight pressure is made to the perch, cones to prevent squirrels climbing down or up onto the feeders, trap door feeders so when the squirrels hold onto the perch the trap door is closed and the seed is hidden, caged feeders, etc.
"The list goes on and on to including full-on assault courses for the less time pressured individual, who wants to have some fun challenging those squirrels."
4. A tall feeding station
"The most successful and cheapest option is a tall feeding station with an oiled pole, with the addition of a cone to double down on the squirrel," Ben said.
5. Get greasy
"Vaseline or other grease on a smooth pole will also help," Ness said. "These methods will only work if the squirrel cannot jump directly onto the feeder, but will have to approach via the defended route."
6. Buy special squirrel-proof bird feeders
"You can buy feeders with a cage around them, however these are only squirrel-resistant, not squirrel-proof, and a small individual will be able to fit through," Ness said.
7. Use chilli powder
"Strong chilli powder or pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, can be dusted onto bird food," Ness said. "Birds are not bothered by the chilli, but most squirrels cannot put up with the burning sensation, and will leave the food alone."
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BIRD FEEDER
Ben suggests we clean our bird feeders every month. Here are his cleaning tips:
1. Fill a bucket with hot, soapy water – or, even better, a 5% disinfectant solution.
2. Thoroughly scrub the bird feeder, removing any residual food or droppings.
3. Rinse with clean water and allow the feeder to dry completely before refilling and rehanging it.
4. It's really important to move your feeders around the garden so that food waste and droppings aren't falling onto the same patch for months at a time, which can lead to a spread of disease.
5. Provide the right amount of good quality bird feed to ensure your garden birds stay happy and healthy.
Ben added: "You don't want the feed hanging around for days. Birds should empty a feeder in one to two days so we need to add feed regularly, but in moderation."
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Source: https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/gardens/a22059978/bird-feeders-complete-guide-food-how-to-make-where-buy/