Bird feeding on nature reserves

Visitors to our reserves in recent months may have noticed the number of bird feeders on-site decreasing. David Craven, Head of Operations in East Yorkshire, explains more about our plans to reduce artificial feeders and why...

Bird feeders on our reserves

Historically there have been bird feeders present on a number of our nature reserves - Adel Dam, Potteric Carr and North Cave Wetlands to name a few. We are very aware that these bird feeders are popular with visitors because of the more guaranteed opportunity to spot some of our reserves' most enigmatic wildlife, and because of the greater ease they offer for keen wildlife photographers.

Our decision to remove bird feeders from our sites has been made for a number of reasons.

We want to encourage natural behaviours and food sources in our wild spaces

Research has shown that having feeders can boost some populations to the detriment of others; for example, common species like great tits and blue tits use feeders, but rarer species like willow tit that would compete with them for resources on our reserves do not.

Disease management

In addition, feeding stations have been shown to be a factor in the spread of avian infectious diseases have been linked to bird feeding practices in the UK, notably trichomonosis, salmonellosis, avian pox and papillomatosis.

Where there are strong conservation reasons to keep feeding we will do so - for example, where there are colonies of rarer species such as tree sparrow that do use bird feeders and need support. However, as a general rule we will be removing all feeding stations on our reserves.

We would ask visitors to respect this and not bring food onto nature reserves themselves.

Robin sat on a garden fork looking down at a blackbird

Bird feeding at home

We are not asking you to stop feeding birds in your own garden! Our gardens are a vital space for our garden wildlife to find food and shelter over the winter months, and we will still make high quality bird food and feeders available in our Nature Discovery Centres.

However, we would encourage you to follow some good practice guidelines.

Most important is hygiene. Feeders should be cleaned weekly, or at least between ‘top-ups’. You should use an animal-safe disinfectant and scrub them clean. Make your life easier here by using good quality feeders that can be easily taken apart and put back together again!

It is also worth periodically moving where your feeders are situated. This stops the build up of debris and droppings in one place and makes it harder for predators to target a single spot.

Research has shown that flat feeders such as tables and window feeders have a much higher risk of spreading disease, so we would suggest not using this type of feeder. If you do, again it is vital you keep it clean.

Clean drinking water is valuable, and again this should be changed daily with the bowl cleaned regularly.

It is also worth considering only feeding in late autumn and winter when natural food supplies are lower. In spring and summer, especially when feeding chicks, natural food sources are better.

We hope that regardless of the removal of bird feeders on our reserves, our visitors continue to enjoy visiting Yorkshire's wild spaces and keeping an eye out for some of our loveliest and brightest avian friends; whether you're tucked up inside a hide for the afternoon, or rambling your way along one of our many miles of reserves paths.