Summer Foods for Birds

Offering bird food to garden birds throughout the year is beneficial, helping to support declining species.

Not long ago, many believed that garden birds should only be fed during the winter months; however, long-term studies have shown that offering food to garden birds year-round is beneficial, supporting declining species and allowing you to learn more about your garden visitors.

Feeding wild birds during the summer helps busy parents top up feeders and provide all the natural food their young need. Well-stocked bird feeders can be a lifeline for young birds as they learn how and where to find food locally.

Bird populations are at their highest in the summer, so a regular supply of quality food helps birds get the energy they need amid increased competition for natural foods.

July is a particularly busy month for garden birds (and bird enthusiasts), as newly fledged youngsters queue up at the feeders.

While the breeding season is over for some species, others may be on their second or even third broods. In early summer, flocks of juvenile Starlings, Blue Tits, and Great Tits create a continuous chorus of calls, while scruffy looking young finches and sparrows suddenly appear on feeders and bird tables.

Most young birds have a lightweight plumage that is duller and softer than that of the adults – it doesn’t have to be very durable as it will have been replaced with adult feathers before winter arrives. Some juvenile birds can look quite different from the more familiar adults, such as young Robins, with their speckled brown plumage, and Goldfinch fledglings with their comparatively subdued color. Read more here.