Less than a week to go until the feasts of all feasts – Christmas Dinner. Whether it’s Turkey with all the trimmings, or a box of Quality Streets, it is always a treat to look forward to. But let’s not forget our feathered friends in the garden this year! As the nights are drawing in, you will have noticed a flurry of activity at your bird feeder as things get chillier. This is because birds, like us, need a stodgier diet over the winter months to keep warm. Often on the hunt for a hearty meal, they turn to our gardens to find extra sustenance!

So why not share your Christmas dinner this year? Here are some hints on what to feed and what not to feed the birds over Christmas.

What to give:

• Christmas cake and Christmas pudding  –  packed full of fruit and fat, making them a perfect treat for wildlife.
• Unsalted nuts  – High nutritional value
• Mild cheeses such as Cheddar and Wensleydale with high-fat content –
• Leftover roast potatoes – good source of fat and easy to follow

What to avoid:

• Cooked meats and vegetables – can attract vermin to your garden
• Chocolate  – contains chemicals which are toxic to birds
• Bread -little nutritional value for birds
• Leftover fat and dripping from your roasting tin -bad for birds

For more information on feeding the birds over Christmas, visit the RSPB page here: