Gardeners are being urged to hang balls of fat (Image: Getty)
Gardeners are being urged to put balls of fat in their garden this winter in order to help feed the birds.
While we normally associate feeding birds with leaving out nuts and seeds, or mealworms and berries, in winter our feathered friends need a very different feeding regime in order to survive.
There are all sorts of birds in the UK which don’t fly south for , instead opting to stay in the cold, cold British Isles and fend for food.
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It does mean that birds often need a helping hand through the chillier months, with food high in fat content preferred to help give them enough calories and energy to make it through the big freeze.
The Natural History Museum urges gardeners to make ‘fat balls’, effectively a mix of lard and seeds, to help keep the birds alive over winter.
It said: “Fat ball recipes can be very simple. The ingredients produce a high energy food that will benefit your local birds in cold weather.
“You could also add in some dried fruit such as raisins, currants or sultanas, small pieces of apple or pear, or grated cheese if you have any spare. Crushed peanuts are also an option, as long as they are unsalted and in date.
Birds love balls of fat in winter (Image: Getty)
“Fat balls will be particularly appreciated by birds in winter, when they need foods packed with energy to survive cold weather. Small birds such as robins are particularly at risk from the cold and can lose a substantial amount of bodyweight overnight. If small birds to go too long without being able to replenish their fat reserves, it can be fatal.
“Fat balls are likely to be a particular hit with tits and sparrows, although many hungry birds will gobble up the seeds and fat, including members of the crow family such as magpies and jackdaws and jays. Even greater-spotted woodpeckers.”
To make one, mix lard with bird seed. Bring the lard up to room temperature, then mix lard with bird seed until it sticks together. Then push the fat ball onto a pine cone, refrigerate until set and then hang them in your garden in a quiet and sheltered area.