A bird friendly garden is a garden that gives birds what they need: food, water, shelter and somewhere safe to nest. Garden birds — robins, blackbirds, blue tits, sparrows, finches and many others — are a pleasure to watch, they eat pests such as caterpillars, aphids and slugs, and they bring a garden alive with song. Yet many gardens offer birds little: a bare lawn, a few shrubs, and no water, no berries and no nesting places.
Making a garden bird friendly is straightforward: plant berry shrubs and seed-bearing flowers, leave some areas wild, provide water and feeders, and avoid chemicals that poison the insects birds feed their young. You do not need a large garden, and you do not need to be an expert — birds will find a garden that feeds them, and they will return year after year. If you are unsure which birds and plants are local to you, check your local extension service for advice.
What birds need: food, water, shelter, nesting
Birds need four things, and a garden can provide all of them. Food: insects, worms, seeds, berries and fruit, through the whole year. Water: for drinking and bathing, in a shallow dish or a pond with sloping edges. Shelter: dense shrubs, hedges and trees where birds can hide from predators and from bad weather. Nesting: safe places to build a nest, whether in a hedge, a tree, a nest box, or a dense climber. A garden that provides all four, and does so through the seasons, will support birds all year, not just in summer. The most important principle is variety: a mix of trees, shrubs, flowers, long grass and wild corners supports more birds than a tidy lawn with a single feeder. Our pollinator garden guide covers the insects that birds feed their young, and the two gardens work well together.
Berry shrubs, trees and seed plants
Plant for berries and seeds, because they feed birds in autumn and winter when insects are scarce. Berry shrubs such as hawthorn, rowan, cotoneaster, pyracantha, holly and berberis all produce berries that birds eat, and they also give shelter and nesting places. Fruit shrubs such as currants, gooseberries, raspberries and blackberries feed birds as well as people — plant extra, and share the harvest. See growing raspberries and growing blackberries. Trees such as rowan, crab apple and cherry give blossom in spring, fruit in autumn, and nesting places all year. Seed-bearing flowers such as sunflowers, coneflowers, teasels and cosmos feed finches and other seed-eaters — leave the seed heads standing over winter instead of cutting them down. See growing sunflowers. Grow a mix, so that something is fruiting or seeding in every month, and avoid planting only one kind of berry shrub.
Feeders, water and bird baths
Feeders help birds, especially in winter and in cold snaps, but they are a supplement, not a substitute for planting. Use a mix of feeders: hanging feeders for peanuts and sunflower seeds, a ground feeder or table for larger birds, and a fat-ball feeder in winter. Clean feeders regularly, because dirty feeders spread disease, and move them occasionally so droppings do not build up underneath. Provide water all year: a shallow bird bath, topped up daily, or a pond with sloping edges where birds can drink and bathe safely. In winter, break the ice on the bird bath each morning, or use a small heater if you have power nearby. Place feeders and baths where birds can see predators coming, but near cover where they can escape to — a feeder in the open with no cover nearby is dangerous, and a feeder deep in a bush is hard for birds to use. Keep cats in mind: place feeders away from dense cover where cats hide, and use a collar bell if you have a cat.
Shelter, hedges and nesting places
Shelter is as important as food. A mixed hedge of hawthorn, hazel, holly and berberis gives birds somewhere to hide, feed and nest, and it is far better than a fence. Dense shrubs such as pyracantha, cotoneaster and ivy give nesting places and winter shelter. Trees, even small ones, give song posts and nesting sites. Leave some areas wild: a patch of long grass, a log pile, a compost heap and a hedge that is not cut too often all shelter birds and the insects they eat. Put up nest boxes for hole-nesting birds such as blue tits and sparrows: place them high, facing north or east, away from feeders and away from prevailing wind and rain, and clean them out in autumn. Do not cut hedges in the nesting season — check local rules on when hedge cutting is allowed — and do not disturb nests. A garden with good shelter will have birds nesting in it every year, and watching them raise young is one of the great pleasures of gardening.
Avoiding chemicals and other dangers
Chemicals are a serious danger to birds. Insecticides kill the caterpillars and insects that parent birds feed their young — a single brood of blue tits can eat thousands of caterpillars — so a garden sprayed with insecticide can starve nestlings even if the adults survive. Slug pellets can poison birds that eat poisoned slugs, so use beer traps, hand-picking or barriers instead. Weedkillers remove the wildflowers and seeds that birds rely on. Garden organically where you can: our organic pest control guide explains the alternatives. Other dangers include windows, which birds fly into — put stickers or decals on large windows — and cats, which kill many garden birds each year. Keep feeders away from cat hiding places, and consider a cat-proof fence or a bell. Avoid netting with a large mesh, in which birds can become tangled; use fine netting, kept taut, if you must protect fruit.
Birds through the seasons
Birds need help all year, but their needs change with the seasons. In spring, they need insects for their young, so avoid spraying and leave some long grass and wild corners. In summer, they need water most, so keep the bird bath topped up. In autumn, they need berries and seeds, so leave seed heads standing and do not cut hedges too hard. In winter, they need food and water most of all, so keep feeders full, break the ice on the bird bath, and leave berries on shrubs. Keep a simple record of which birds visit and when, because it will help you plan: if you see finches in winter, plant more seed-bearing flowers; if you see thrushes, plant more berry shrubs. A bird friendly garden is a long-term project, and the birds will tell you what works — watch them, and plant more of what they use.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is using insecticides and slug pellets, which kill the insects birds feed their young and can poison the birds themselves. The second is cutting down seed heads and berry shrubs in autumn, removing winter food. The third is putting feeders in the open with no cover nearby, or deep in cover where cats hide. The fourth is forgetting water, especially in summer and in freezing winter weather. The fifth is cutting hedges in the nesting season, which can destroy nests. The sixth is using loose netting with a large mesh, in which birds become tangled. Finally, do not expect birds to arrive overnight: a new bird friendly garden may take a year or two to be found and trusted, so be patient, keep the food and water coming, and check your local extension service for local bird and plant advice if birds are slow to arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to attract birds to my garden?
Provide food, water, shelter and nesting places together. Plant berry shrubs and seed-bearing flowers, leave some areas wild, put out feeders and a bird bath, and provide hedges and nest boxes. Birds need all four, and a garden that offers them will attract birds year after year.
What should I feed garden birds?
A mix: sunflower seeds and peanuts in hanging feeders, seed mixes on a table, fat balls in winter, and fruit such as apples for blackbirds and thrushes. Avoid bread, which is poor food, and avoid salted or flavoured nuts. Clean feeders regularly to prevent disease.
Do birds need water in winter?
Yes — even more so, because natural water freezes. Break the ice on the bird bath each morning, top it up with fresh water, and keep it shallow so birds can drink and bathe safely. A small heater can help if you have power nearby.
When should I put up a nest box?
In autumn or early winter, so birds can find it and roost in it before the breeding season. Place it high, facing north or east, away from feeders and prevailing wind, and clean it out each autumn. Do not disturb a box once birds are using it.
Are cats a problem for garden birds?
Yes — cats kill many garden birds each year. Place feeders away from dense cover where cats hide, use a bell on your cat's collar, and consider a cat-proof fence or a prickly shrub under feeders. Keep cats indoors at dawn and dusk, when birds are most active, if you can.