Just open a window and listen on a sunny spring morning... can you hear it? That beautiful birdsong is the sound of nesting season getting underway! Across the UK, our garden birds are busy finding mates, building nests, and preparing to raise their young.

It's a demanding time for them, requiring lots of energy. But the good news is we can easily lend a helping hand right in our own gardens. By providing a few simple things can make a huge difference to their success.

Power Up Their Food Supply

Building nests and raising chicks takes incredible energy. Parent birds need access to reliable, high-quality food.

• Think High-Energy: Choose foods rich in protein and fat. High-quality seed mixes, sunflower hearts, suet pellets or balls, and dried mealworms are always excellent choice that are always popular on our bird table.
• Keep it Clean: Regularly clean your bird feeders and feeding stations. This prevents the spread of disease. Use fresh food daily if possible – this also helps deter unwanted visitors like rats and mice.

By providing nutritious food for birds when nesting helps them stay strong and helps improve their chances of success.

Offer Fresh Water Daily

Don't forget water! Birds need fresh water for drinking and bathing, which helps keep their feathers in top condition.

• Top Up Bird Baths: Keep your bird bath clean and filled with fresh water.
• Shallow is Best: A shallow dish or container is ideal, allowing smaller birds to drink and bathe safely.
• Keep it Ice-Free: On surprisingly cold spring mornings, make sure the water isn't frozen.  But don’t use too hot or boiling water to deice as this can cause bird baths to crack and break.

Create Safe Homes & Shelter

Birds need safe places to nest and rest, away from predators and inclement weather.

• Natural Cover: Dense shrubs, hedges, and climbing plants offer natural protection and potential nesting spots.
• Put Up Nest Boxes: Adding nest boxes for garden birds can be a great help, especially if natural sites are limited.
• Position boxes facing roughly North or East. This avoids strong direct sunlight and the wettest winds.
• Place them high enough to be safe from cats, usually 2-4 metres up.
• Ensure they are sheltered by some foliage if possible.

When gardening, remember to keep birds in mind.  This includes not cutting back hedges or scrubs during nesting season.  When tidying the garden after a trimming session, it can also pay to not be too neat and tidy about it.  The twigs, leaves and plant cuttings you leave can become nest building materials for your garden visitors.

Keep Your Garden Bird-Safe

Making your garden a safe haven is crucial during this vulnerable time.

• Be Cat Aware: Place feeders and nest boxes where cats can't easily reach or ambush birds. A bell on your cat's collar can help.
• Limit Pesticides: Many birds rely on insects, grubs, and caterpillars to feed their young. Try natural pest control methods instead.  Increasing the bird life in your garden will often act as it’s own natural pest control.
• Check Before You Chop! Be extremely careful when gardening. Check hedges and shrubs thoroughly for active nests before trimming. Remember, the main bird nesting season in the UK is generally March to August, and it's illegal to intentionally damage or destroy an active nest.
• A Little Wildness Helps: Leaving some areas with longer grass or leaf litter provides natural foraging opportunities and nesting materials.

Supporting wild bird care in spring helps tiny chicks fledge successfully.

Enjoy Your Feathered Friends

By providing these simple things, you're making a real difference to the survival of young birds. Enjoy watching the busy activity and listening to that wonderful birdsong – it’s your reward for helping out!

Ensuring a reliable supply of high-quality food and fresh water is one of the best ways you can support your local bird population this nesting season.