Mealworms are a natural food and you can feed them to birds throughout the year. Mealworms are relished by robins and blue tits, and may attract other insect-eating birds such as pied wagtails. Never put out loose peanuts, during spring or summer, as these pose a choking hazard if they are fed to chicks, place whole peanuts in a suitable mesh feeder.

Remember, peanuts can be high in a natural toxin, which can kill birds, so always buy from a reputable dealer, such as our online shop, to guarantee freedom from aflatoxin. Warning: Don't use salted or dry roasted peanuts. Nuthatches and coal tits may hoard peanuts. PeanutsĬrushed or grated nuts attract robins, dunnocks and even wrens. They're a particular favourites with goldfinches and siskins and are popular with tits, greenfinches, house sparrows, nuthatches and great spotted woodpeckers too. They do need a special type of seed feeder however. These are small and black, rich in fat and with a high oil content. Sunflower hearts (the husked kernels) are a popular no-mess food. The oil content is higher in black than striped ones, and so they are much better. These are an excellent year-round food, and in many areas are even more popular than peanuts. Also avoid any mixture containing green or pink lumps as these are dog biscuit, which can only be eaten when soaked. These are added to some cheaper seed mixes to bulk them up. Warning : Avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils as again only the large species can eat them dry. Wheat and barley grains are often included in seed mixtures, but they're really only suitable for pigeons, doves and pheasants, which feed on the ground and rapidly increase in numbers, frequently deterring the smaller species. Pinhead oatmeal is excellent for many birds. Mixes that contain chunks or whole nuts are suitable for winter feeding only. Tits and greenfinches favour peanuts and sunflower seeds. Small seeds, such as millet, attract mostly house sparrows, dunnocks, finches, reed buntings and collared doves, while flaked maize is taken readily by blackbirds. The better mixtures contain plenty of flaked maize, sunflower seeds and peanut granules. There are different mixes for feeders, for bird tables and for ground feeding.

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