Gardeners urged to sprinkle garlic on bird tables

Gardeners are being urged to sprinkle or spray garlic on their bird tables this winter in a bid to keep intrusive grey squirrels away.

While many gardeners enjoy watching squirrels scamper around their gardens all year round, many don’t realise that grey squirrels in particular can be an invasive pest which put both other squirrels and birds at risk.

As a result, wildlife and experts are urging to find ways to continue to feed birds, which desperately need extra nutrition and food sources during scarce winter months, while also turning away interfering grey squirrels.

One way to achieve this is by using garlic. Common garden birds like robins, starlings, magpies, finches and doves will not be bothered by the taste of garlic, and will continue to eat seeds, nuts and suet even if it’s laced with the pungent cloves, but squirrels will hate it and refuse to go near anything with garlic on it.

Garden range seller Richard Jackson Garden says: “Squirrels are less active over the winter months and may sleep for days at a time, but they don’t hibernate. What they do do, which can send gardeners around the bend, is that they bury and stash food in caches all around the garden.

“So berries and nuts are virtually planted all over the place and are often forgotten, germinate and grow into new trees in very inappropriate places. That conker tree in the flowerpot – that was a squirrel. The little copse of hazels growing in the rockery – that was a squirrel. 

“Make a spray of strong smelling ingredients such as garlic or peppermint. Spray this around any areas you want to protect from squirrels, they have very sensitive noses and don’t like the smell.

“Store your bird food in a metal feed bin inside a shed, garage or utility room to protect it from squirrels and other rodents.

“Always present the bird food in a suitable feeder to make it more difficult for squirrels and other rodents to access.”

According to British Red Squirrel.org, a survey by the Forestry Commission of vulnerable woodlands in Great Britain estimated that 100% of sycamore, 66% of beech, 30% of oak and sweet chestnut stands had been damaged by grey squirrels. 

It added: “Grey squirrels eat song-bird chicks and eggs. Research carried out by the Game Conservancy and Wildlife Trust demonstrates that grey squirrels have an adverse impact on many native woodland birds, reducing fledging rates by an average of 15%.

“Grey squirrels can damage maize and fruit crops. They are a threat to orchards and market gardens. They destroy bulbs and corms, eat tree nuts, recently sown seeds and enter into roof voids, damaging thatched and shingled roofs, telephone wires and electricity cables.”

It’s also worth noting that if you have a flat bird table, be sure to clean this regularly and remove any uneaten food that’s been exposed to the elements, as an