British Birds Need Bird Feeders
Low Seed Crop Means Some Birds Will Turn to Birdfeeders This Winter
The British Trust for Ornithology is predicting that seed and nut eating birds will run short of natural food during winter 2007/08 and turn to garden feeders instead.
Last year, 2006, was a bumper year for seed production in Britain, and birds that rely on nuts and seeds for food had lots to eat. Unfortunately, research has shown that trees tend to follow a pattern of seed production: a very good year every fourth or fifth year, followed by a bad year. This suggests that the 2007 crop will be quite small and, indeed, it appears that this prediction is already coming true. Beech and oak trees in Britain have produced few seeds this year.
The British Trust for Ornithology reports that research has also shown that when nut and seed eating birds can’t find enough food in the wild, they tend to visit garden bird feeders more frequently, so it’s fair to say that those who like to feed the birds should see more birds than usual over the coming months, and it might be a good idea to stock up on bird seed for the feeder. Jays, siskins, Coal Tits, nuthatches, and woodpeckers are all likely to be affected by the shortage of natural food.
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