Are you new to feeding the birds? Join the flock!


4 min read

Are you new to feeding the birds? Join the flock!

 

When I started putting out bird food, I could barely recognise a robin from a blackbird. When I had my first daughter I craved a bit of routine in amongst all of the chaos of the newborn days, and part of that routine included feeding the birds. Gradually the birds started to notice the food and I started to notice them, and it started me on a relationship and a feeling of connection with the wildlife in our little garden. I felt really pleased with myself for having achieved something (albeit a small something) at home.

If you are new to feeding the birds, welcome! Here are my top tips for the beginner bird feeder:

Fill your feeders regularly

Like any new routine, it can be hard to remember to fill your feeders at first, but you don’t need to do so every day. A handful of food every few days is a great way to get started, and day by day your birds will start to notice, then trust, then rely on the food you are putting out. It can take the birds a while to find a new feeder, so if they haven’t come to see you after a couple of weeks, don’t give up. We had nothing but pigeons for the first four months or so of me feeding the birds, but with the right food and plenty of patience we started to see more variety.

Use a bird book to learn the names of your visitors

This was what really gave me a connection to the birds in our garden – once I started to recognise some of the visitors I started to feel more invested in feeding them. I had a few of the traditional bird books at home, but I found the illustrations and descriptions in Matt Sewell’s Spotting and Jotting Guide and Stuart Cox’s I Like Birds really brought the birds to life. I started identifying the birds by their characters and quirks, rather than just their appearance and markings and gradually gained confidence. Every time I spot a new visitor it’s a huge thrill, and we now welcome blue tits, robins, wrens, dunnocks, blackbirds, goldfinches, sparrows, great tits and chaffinches (plus a lot of starlings and jackdaws and a very rotund pigeon) and I am happy to say I can recognise them all! There are some brilliant apps on the market too, which help you recognise the birds by their song as well as their appearance, and the RSPB website is always a good place to research a new visitor.

Make time to watch the birds in your garden

You might sit at the back window with a cup of tea, watch from the sink while you wash up or stand at an upstairs bedroom window – wherever you can see the birds from your house, aim to set aside a little time each day to enjoy watching them eat the food you have put out. Watching the birds has a proven benefit for mental health, and it’s a genuinely mindful way to spend five minutes each day.

Start your bird feeding with A Little Bird Company

Our food is different from the brands you find at the supermarket – we don’t pack our food out with cheap filler ingredients like wheat, dari and millet, instead choosing only the most nutritious, most beneficial ingredients, guaranteed to be popular with your wild birds. We only use compostable packaging to ensure that we have a positive impact on the environment. You can subscribe to simplify your deliveries, and adjust your subscription at any time. Get started today with A Little Bird Company!

Choose a feeder that’s easy to fill, empty and clean

Some bird feeders are very flimsy – they won’t last for long in an English garden and are made from brittle plastics – some are designed to be thrown away when empty rather than refilled. It’s best to choose a design that’s quick to fill in the mornings so that it’s easy to fit it into your routine – you want to find a feeder that you can shove a handful of food into while the tea brews, so fiddly lids or designs that need to be flipped over and unscrewed might not be the best option for a beginner. It is also important that your feeders are hygienic, otherwise they can spread disease amongst the bird population, so look for feeders that are easy to empty of uneaten food, and easy to clean and dry. The feeders I stock are sustainable, made from ceramics, stainless steel, FSC-certified wood and second-life plastic. I love the Singing Friend ceramic feeders – they’re so easy to fill and empty, and they look beautiful in the garden too. A Squirrel Buster is a great choice for a busier garden. If you don’t want to invest in a feeder straight away, a handful of food scattered in the garden is a great way to start and you can attract ground feeding birds like blackbirds, wrens, robins, dunnocks and sparrows that way – just check for cats before putting the food out.

Feeding the birds is the most brilliant, wonderful way to connect with nature and live more mindfully and I do my best to make it as simple as possible to offer them the very best. Start feeding the birds today with A Little Bird Company!

Ready to deepen your connection with the birds in your garden? Discover more about your feathered friends and how to attract them to your space with Amidst the Birdsong: A Garden Birdwatcher's Journal. This beautifully crafted journal is the perfect companion for anyone looking to observe and learn about the birds visiting their garden. Start your birdwatching journey today – click here to learn more.


Thank you for reading!

Clare Cahill is an enthusiastic bird lover with a passion for observing and learning about the incredible variety of birds around us. While she doesn’t have a formal degree in ornithology, Clare has dedicated countless hours to reading birding books and exploring nature, constantly expanding her knowledge and deepening her love for wildlife.

For Clare, birdwatching brings a sense of calm and connection to the world, offering a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. She believes that the more we connect with nature, the more we can do to protect and conserve it. Through her writing, Clare hopes to inspire others to take a moment to pause, look up, and appreciate the wonderful birds that share our spaces.

The seasonal bird food brand

We're a little company, supporting little birds. Find out more about what sets us apart.

  • Seasonal

    Birds have different dietary needs throughout the year, from nesting to moulting and surviving colder months. To support these changes, we’ve created seasonal blends – order a Seasonal Bird Food bag, and we’ll adjust the blend to match the season, making it easy to do something great for the birds.

  • Sustainable

    Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We don't farm, process, and transport cheap filler ingredients that birds simply kick to the floor. Instead, we focus on premium ingredients they love. Our packaging is compostable, and our bird feeders and nest boxes are tested for durability and longevity.

  • Songbird

    We design our food and select our range of feeders with little birds in mind. Every ingredient in our blends is chosen because small birds love it, simplifying your bird feeding routine. Our feeders provide safe access to food while helping to keep out larger, more dominant species. Look out for robins, blue tits, wrens, finches and more visiting your garden for our food.

  • Support

    With birds in your garden, you’re never alone - they’re the friends who always visit. Feeding them supports wildlife conservation while bringing joy and calm. Whether spotting a new species or simply watching their daily routines, just ten minutes a day strengthens your connection with nature and boosts your wellbeing.

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When life feels busy, the birds keep it simple.

There’s something lovely about how feeding the birds becomes part of the rhythm of your day. A scoop of seed, a clean dish of water - and then a pause, just to watch who turns up. It doesn’t have to take long, but those moments can be surprisingly grounding. A little burst of mindfulness, fresh air, a chance to notice your garden as it changes throughout the seasons, and the cheerful flutter of wings - it’s good for the soul.

Join our flock of bird enthusiasts who share a passion for sustainable and thoughtful bird feeding.

Shop our bestsellers

From our popular seasonal bird food to the Squirrel Buster squirrel resistant bird feeder, our range is designed to help you to create a haven for little birds in your garden.

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