Wild bird food

Wild birds eat different foods depending on the species and season. In winter , they mainly rely on energy-rich grains, seeds, nuts and fat to protect themselves from the cold.
In summer , they feed mainly on insects, worms, snails and berries, which provide them with protein and vitamins.

Some wild birds are omnivores that eat both animal and plant foods, such as blackbirds, thrushes and magpies. Other wild birds are specialists in particular food sources, such as woodpeckers that use their beaks to drill into tree bark for insects, or tits that use their pointed tongues to suck nectar from flowers.

Here are some examples of common native bird species and their preferred food:

• Titmice: Titmice are very adaptable and will eat almost anything they can find. They particularly like sunflower seeds, nuts, fatty foods, oatmeal and raisins.
• Robins: Robins are insectivores that also eat berries, fruit and raisins in winter. They like to eat soft food such as oatmeal, bran or curd cheese.
• Blackbirds: Blackbirds are also insectivores that feed on berries, fruit and raisins in winter. They also like to eat mealworms, oatmeal and bran.
• Finches: Finches are granivores that mainly eat seeds from wild plants such as thistles, teasels and buttercups. They also like sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, millet and beechnuts.
• Woodpeckers: Woodpeckers live in trees and use their powerful beaks to chop insects out of the wood. They also like to eat nuts, fatty foods, sunflower seeds and raisins.
• Nuthatch: Nuthatches are also tree dwellers that feed on insects, spiders and seeds. They particularly like nuts, fatty foods and sunflower seeds.