Birds need your help to get through the cold snap

Garden birds will struggle to survive without our help. Credit Wildlife Extra

RSPB feeding tips for the winter
January 2010. With snow and freezing temperatures still dominating the UK, the RSPB is appealing for people to spare a thought for the birds who need our help to survive.

Difference between life and death
Finding food and ensuring they eat enough of it to build - and maintain - adequate fat supplies is the greatest test for wild birds in winter. And the food and water we provide can be the difference between life and death for many.
The reminder comes as many parts of the country are experiencing several inches of snow and the Met Office forecasts that the freezing and snowy weather will persist for at least the next couple of days.

When temperatures fall below freezing, birds struggle to find the food they need. If they fail, their body temperature quickly drops, increasing the threat of freezing to death. It also weakens their ability to maintain a healthy condition; vital for breeding in spring.

Wild food becomes inaccessible to birds
The problem is that natural food will be covered in snow and ice, making it impossible to get to. Water birds may be forced to leave iced-over lakes and rivers. The ground becomes too hard for birds like thrushes and lapwings to probe, and natural food like berries, acorns and seeds, is buried.

Food and water are vital forkeeping garden birds alive during this cold spell. redit Wildlife Extra.

It's at times like this that birds are more likely to come into our gardens to seek sanctuary. People can help improve birds' chances of survival by providing food like mealworms, fatballs, crushed peanuts, dried fruit or seeds and grain.

Leftovers
You could also put out leftovers like non-salty grated cheese, porridge oats, soft fruit, unsalted bacon, cooked rice or pasta and the insides of cooked potatoes.

Water is vital
Water is also vital for both drinking and bathing. Bird baths can be kept from freezing over using small floating items like twigs or ping pong balls.

The RSPB is asking people to follow a simple six-point wild bird winter survival plan that will help wildlife during the harshest weather:

Unusual behaviour
People may also notice a change in the behaviour of birds given the extreme conditions. You may witness a flurry of activity first thing in the morning, as birds replenish energy lost overnight, or last thing in the afternoon as they prepare for the long night ahead.

During a hard winter, birds have to feed at an accelerated rate, but must also take adequate time out to rest and conserve energy. Many birds become more sociable to improve their chances of survival. Flocking together in winter improves the chances of locating food and huddling together during the critical night time period helps conserve body heat. The ability to fly is also a key to survival and can lead to sudden and dramatic changes in the birds in your area. Many will choose to fly to milder regions to escape the weather.

The end of this month marks the 31st annual Big Garden Birdwatch. Feeding birds now will ensure there's plenty to record for this year's survey as well as helping birds survive.