How to provide bushes for nesting birds
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In the spring, birds choose the best locations to build nests, so why not offer them a safe place to settle?
Cleaning bird feeders and bird baths
Clean feeders and feeding sites regularly using warm soapy water or 5%. Make sure to rinse any disinfectant off thoroughly and always allow feeders to air-dry completely before adding food.
Brushes and equipment used to clean feeders, tables and baths shouldn’t be used for other purposes. Rubber gloves should be worn and hands washed afterwards.
Cleaning nestboxes
After the end of each breeding season, all nestboxes should be taken down, old nesting materials removed, and the box should be scalded with boiling water to kill any parasites. Do not use insecticides or flea-powders – boiling water is adequate. Annual cleaning should only be carried out at the end of the breeding season, from late September to February.
Under the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, if unhatched eggs are found in the box, they can only legally be removed from October to January inclusive, and they must be destroyed – it is illegal to keep them.
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More ways you can help birds
How to build a bat box
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Build your own bat box and give a bat a safe place to roost.
How to build a bird box
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With natural nesting sites in decline, adding a nestbox to your garden can make all the difference to your local birds.
Change what you eat
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Buy local produce, eat more plant-based foods and reduce your food miles to shrink your environmental footprint.
How to make a log shelter
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Log piles are perfect hiding places for insects, providing a convenient buffet for frog, birds, and hedgehogs too!
How to attract moths and bats to your garden
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Plant flowers that release their scent in the evening to attract moths and, ultimately, bats looking for an insect-meal into your garden.