Gardener’s World advises: “While tits and finches are expert at clinging to feeders, blackbirds, dunnocks and robins are much happier foraging on a flat surface, such as a bird table, short grass or paving.
Warning to anyone with blackbirds and robins in their gardens in February Feeding is one of the best ways to encourage birds to visit your garden, especially in February when the weather is still cold.
Bird feeders can encourage the spread of serious diseases among species, like trichomoniasis: a parasite that causes lesions in a bird’s mouth, ultimately preventing them from eating.
Blackbirds, dunnocks and robins actually find the suspended feeder system harder to cling to, making it difficult for them to consume enough food to keep them satisfied.
A bird-feeding area can be a hotbed for disease, so clean your feeders weekly using a weak disinfectant solution, rinse well before allowing them to dry and then refilling.
