You may think that wild birds only need supplementary food during the colder months, but even in the summer, birds need a helping hand in the garden. Read on to find out the best ways for you to care for the birds in summer.
Why do garden birds need feeding during the summer?
During the hot, dry summer months, natural food shortages can occur which can lead to many garden birds struggling to find enough food to feed both themselves and their chicks. If this happens at a time when young birds have recently left the nest, it could harm their ability to survive.
The chicks of most garden birds rely on eating caterpillars and other invertebrates to develop properly. However, adult birds can eat supplementary foods, like sunflower seeds, which frees up the invertebrates for the chicks.
What type of food should I put out?
It’s important to choose the right type of food to use in feeders during the summer, as putting the wrong type of food out could do more harm than good.
If favoured natural food is in very short supply, adult birds can turn to supplementary food to feed their chicks with, so careful consideration is needed. Birds also need a high protein feed during this season to support their development and assist with the moulting process.
Peckish Complete Seed Mix is the perfect food to care for birds in the summer as it contains sunflower hearts, pinhead oats and suet pellets, among other ingredients, giving birds the nutrition they need to fuel them for longer.
Good hygiene is key
The warm weather makes it all the more important to practice good hygiene, so make sure you have a bird feeder that you can easily take apart and clean, like you can with all Peckish feeders. Read our guide on how to clean feeders for more information.
It’s also important to provide fresh, clean water for birds during the summer; this not only ensures they have enough to drink and don’t become dehydrated, but it also gives them somewhere to bathe. Read more here.