March is finally here and with the warmer spring weather, garden birds like robins and sparrows have been spotted flocking back to bird feeders, tree banches and bird tables in strong numbers over the past week.
UK can be a home to all sorts of wildlife and as the snowy and icy weather starts to fade and the sun comes back out, more and more garden birds are now flocking into our outdoor spaces – if you leave the right foods out for them. Gardeners are being urged to focus on four key foods for robins and sparrows, which are two of the most common and most popular garden birds in the UK. Robins are fussier, while sparrows will also eat some kitchen scraps too, say wildlife experts.
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If you want robins to return to your garden this spring, you should leave four key foods out: worms, seeds, fruit and insects. For sparrows, you can also add kitchen scraps. They eat peanuts, seeds, suet and even various kitchen scraps like cooked pasta and rice.
Bird feeding experts GardenBird said: “One interesting fact about the Robin is its keenness to rise early and be one of the first to tune up to Dawn Chorus with its fluting, warbling sound. Interestingly, Robins vocalise differently through the year, with a much more melancholy sound over winter, which become progressively chirpier towards the breeding period in spring.
“If you’re lucky enough to have Robins visit your garden frequently, be aware they love to eat worms, seeds, fruit and insects. A favourite bird food is suet balls or one of our specially formulated premium mixes such as the Robin & Blackbird No Mess Mix.”
But house sparrows are in decline in the UK, and also need a helping hand, so encouraging them to come to your garden is also a good idea.
GardenBird.com added: “The house sparrow is an endearing, friendly little bird whose almost consistent year-round presence is always welcome. However, despite its notoriety as being one of the most sociable and gregarious birds in existence, it’s an understatement to say the sparrow has had a very tough time throughout history.
“Despite the recent return of sightings in gardens across the UK, house sparrows are still classified as being in decline. According to RSPB research, between 1977 and 2008 house sparrows declined by as much as 71 percent.”
The experts put the decline, specifically in England, down to less availability of food, climate change and pollution, the loss of nesting sites and even the introduction of unleaded petrol which they say ‘produces toxic compounds such as methyl nitrate’.
Sparrows need extra support say wildlife experts (Image: Getty)
Sparrows aren’t fussy and will eat just about anything, including peanuts, seeds, suet and even various kitchen scraps like cooked pasta and rice .
The downside of this is that squirrels will steal their food – sprinkle something spicy across it and the birds will still love it but squirrels will leave well alone.
The RSPB urges: “Put out bird food and water on a regular basis through autumn and winter. In severe weather, you may find you need to feed twice daily. Birds need high-energy, high-fat foods during cold weather.
“Always adjust the quantity given to the demand, and never allow uneaten foods to build up. Once you have a feeding routine, try not to change it as birds will become used to it.”