Wild Bird Supplementary Feeding Best Practice

Garden bird feeding supports billions of birds across Europe, but poor practice can cause disease outbreaks, species imbalances, and unintended welfare harm.

Key Facts

Over half of UK households feed garden birds, spending over 200 million pounds annually
Damp or mouldy food causes aspergillosis and other fatal fungal infections
Salmonella outbreaks at bird feeders kill thousands of greenfinches and other species annually
Different species have different nutritional needs and feeder preferences
Year-round feeding helps birds maintain condition for breeding and migration

Welfare Considerations

Garden bird feeding at its best is a high-welfare intervention: supplementary food buffers winter energy deficits, supports breeding success, and maintains body condition during cold snaps. At its worst, dirty feeders become disease amplifiers, killing the birds they were meant to help. Proper hygiene — weekly cleaning with disinfectant, rotating feeding locations, removing uneaten food — is essential to ensure that the welfare intent of feeding translates into welfare benefit.

What You Can Do

Clean feeders weekly with hot water and mild disinfectant
Rotate feeding locations to prevent faecal accumulation on ground
Provide fresh water daily for drinking and bathing
Use species-appropriate foods — avoid bread and salty products
Stop feeding if disease is detected and resume only after thorough cleaning