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Things To Do
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There are plenty of easy ways of attracting
birds to your garden. Check out our project
ideas below.
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If you need help identifying any avian visitors,
then visit Wildfacts.
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Bird tables are a great way of attracting birds to your garden and are particularly useful in the winter when food is hard to find. A simple flat bird table is effective and easy to make.
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Take a wooden pole about 1.5 metres high, and nail a wooden board to the top. Add a strip of wood about 2cm high around the edge of the board, leaving a small gap for rainwater to drain away. This will help to stop the food being blown away. Anchor the central pole firmly into the ground. Think carefully about where to position the table. It needs to be fairly close to dense bushes to provide refuge for birds avoiding sparrowhawks, but not so close as to provide cover for predatory cats.
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There are lots of things you can put on your bird table: peanuts (unsalted), fresh coconut (not desiccated), fat (suet, dripping, meat fat, bacon rind), cheese, stale cakes, biscuits, pastry, dried fruits, apple, wild bird seed mixtures, sunflower seeds and bread. As well as placing food on the table, scatter some on the ground, as this will attract different species. However, you should avoid leaving the surplus food on the ground overnight as it may attract rats.
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You will need to remove old food and clean the table regularly to prevent the spread of diseases such as salmonella. Provide birds with a bowl of water on the table, especially in the winter when water is often frozen. You can also make a very simple birdbath by sinking a dustbin lid into the ground and filling it with water. The water needs to be kept clean and free of ice.
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