Wild Birds Aren't Taking My Bird Feed

[Alickadoo]

Well, that's it. The wild birds are not taking the bird feed or fat balls from the feeder in my garden.

I wonder if they are getting five courses with silver service two doors down, or are there just not the birds around?

Solutions, please?

[essayer]

How long have they been up for? It takes a few days for birds to restart using ours if we’ve left them empty for any length of time

[Portofino]

You need sunflower hearts these days, they are fussy buggers with the choice they have, around here anyway.

[Doofus]

I buy Peckish No Mess and the variety of sparrows, tits and finches we have will scarf down a 1.7kg bag in around ten days.

[Mont Blanc]

essayer said:

How long have they been up for? It takes a few days for birds to restart using ours if we’ve left them empty for any length of time

Yes.

It can take days or even a week or more for birds to find your feeder and begin visiting it regularly.

This builds over time, and if, like my wife, you put bird feed out like clockwork for about 5 years, you will have quite the swarm of wild birds every day!

Also, if you have cats in your garden, or near your garden, the birds will know this and be wary.

[Alickadoo]

I will try putting more than one course out and see if that pricks their interest.

They used to go crazy when I filled the feeder. I will try something different. trouble is, I have got most of a big bag of Tesco Wild Bird Feed.

[andburg]

where are the feeders? if they're exposed and away from cover it could be putting them off

[TGCOTF-dewey]

Buzzards and Kites about?

We used to have more tits than a lap dance club and now rarely see one.

Regularly have both Buzzards and Kites patrolling low above the surrounding fields and gardens.

It's only the bigger birds: crows, rooks, etc. that have stayed around.

[Nightmare]

Interesting - we have a kite that regularly sits overlooking our garden and the other birds, except the crows and magpies, pay it precisely no attention at all. The pair of rats living under the garden room are a bit cautious tho

At the moment we’re going through 4 fatballs and an entire tube of peanuts every day, and the sunflower hearts every 2 days. Admittedly the squirrel is taking its fair share but still!

That said, a week ago we had literally nothing in the garden for nearly a week. Zero idea why. Maybe there was a big bird conference somewhere or a cheap holiday deal

[Simpo Two]

Nightmare said:

At the moment we’re going through 4 fatballs and an entire tube of peanuts every day

You should give them to the birds, it would be much healthier

[rossub]

Portofino said:

You need sunflower hearts these days, they are fussy buggers with the choice they have, around here anyway.

Yup - I’ve said before on here that I go through 20kg in about 6 weeks

[rossub]

Mont Blanc said:

Also, if you have cats in your garden, or near your garden, the birds will know this and be wary.

We have a cat as well, but there are usually so many birds about that they can warn each other. Doesn’t stop them going through the above

[Alickadoo]

I am now giving them three courses Tesco Wild Bird Feed, Fat Balls and Meal Worms. They seem to like it. The take up/attendance figures are much improved.

Sunflower Hearts? OK, I will give it a whirl.

[rossub]

Alickadoo said:

Sunflower Hearts? OK, I will give it a whirl.

EBay - around £25 for 20kg. Garden Centre prices would cripple me!

[Nightmare]

Simpo Two said:

Nightmare said:

At the moment we’re going through 4 fatballs and an entire tube of peanuts every day

You should give them to the birds, it would be much healthier

I do love me some fat balls

[sherman]

Meal worms and fatballs are the thing that go best ime.
Peanuts are not realy worth it
Sunflower hearts are ok too.

[Turn7]

3 x 18” feeders all with sunflower hearts, plus a fat-ball feeder .

They’re all empty after 5/6 days here.

Bloody Jackdaws have found the fat-balls annoyingly.

Get all the coming garden birds in multiples , and the feeders are in very different locations .

Finches are great for the bloody Pigeons and Doves as they throw 2 on the floor for every one they eat…

[bigpriest]

rossub said:

Portofino said:

You need sunflower hearts these days, they are fussy buggers with the choice they have, around here anyway.

Yup - I’ve said before on here that I go through 20kg in about 6 weeks

Who's your dealer and what price are you paying Is this reasonable for 10kg?

Seeds

[rossub]

Just do a search on eBay for Sunflower Hearts 20kg

£15.99 for 10kg isn’t too bad but as I said above, 20kg for £25 is better

[Alickadoo]

rossub said:

Alickadoo said:

Sunflower Hearts? OK, I will give it a whirl.

EBay - around £25 for 20kg. Garden Centre prices would cripple me!

Tesco £4 for a kilo.