Wild bird and garden wildlife food
This aisle is for feeding wildlife in the garden rather than a pet bird indoors — seed mixes, suet products and mealworms aimed at attracting and supporting wild birds through the year. Both the RSPB and the British Trust for Ornithology recommend feeding year-round rather than only in winter, since garden birds benefit from a reliable food source across breeding season as much as the cold months.
What to put out and when
A general seed mix works well for most garden visitors, while suet products give a concentrated energy source that's particularly valuable in colder months when birds need more calories to keep warm. Mealworms, live or dried, are especially useful during the breeding season, when many species are feeding protein-rich food to their chicks.
The RSPB's guidance is to feed a variety of foods rather than one single type, since different birds are drawn to different foods — a mix of seed, suet and mealworms will bring a wider range of species to the garden than seed alone.
Positioning feeders sensibly
Site feeders somewhere with a clear line of sight for birds to spot approaching predators, but close enough to cover, like a hedge or shrub, that they can retreat to quickly. Avoid placing feeders directly next to a window where a startled bird might fly into the glass.
Spread feeding stations out a little rather than clustering everything in one spot if your garden allows for it, which reduces overcrowding and the competition that can come with it.
Hygiene matters as much as the food itself
Both the RSPB and BTO are clear that dirty feeders can spread disease between birds, since a feeding station brings species into closer contact than they'd naturally have. Clean feeders and bird baths regularly with a mild disinfectant, rinse thoroughly, and let them dry before refilling.
Move feeder locations occasionally if you can, since droppings and spilled food accumulating in one spot over a long period is part of what allows disease to build up and spread between visiting birds.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Love Wildlife Peanut Bird Butter
A simple three-ingredient suet bird butter, 375g, for feeders without seeds mixed in
£3.49
Love Wildlife Seed & Nut Bird Butter
A 375g suet bird butter with hemp seed and limestone flour mixed through it
£3.49
Love Wildlife Mealworm & Insect Bird Butter
A 375g suet bird butter with dried mealworms and larvae powder mixed through it
£3.49
Love Wildlife Fruit & Berry Bird Butter
A fruit and berry suet bird butter jar, for use in a compatible feeder
£3.49
Treat 'N' Eat Fatball 90g (No Net)
A single 90g high-energy fat ball for wild birds, netless for safe garden feeding
£0.29
Honeyfields Simply Suet Pellets with Insects
High-energy suet pellets with insects, at 490kcal per 100g, in two sizes
From£3.49
Brambles Float Swan Duck Food
Floating swan and duck food made in Great Britain, in two sack sizes
From£9.29
Peckish Complete Seed
A husk-free garden bird seed mix with Peckish's own added vitamin pellet
From£3.00
Peckish Robin Seed Mix
A 1KG insect-added seed mix from Peckish, marketed specifically at robins
£3.75
Peckish Winter Warmer Extra Energy Seed Mix
A 1KG winter seed mix with 9 ingredients and 20% oil for extra energy
£3.99
Sunflower Hearts
Dehusked sunflower hearts for wild birds, described as high in oil and no mess
£42.99
Johnston Jeff Selected Wild Bird Food
A wild bird seed mix with black oil sunflower for a wide range of garden birds
From£2.79
Common questions
- Should I feed garden birds all year round?
- Yes, both the RSPB and BTO recommend feeding year-round rather than only in winter. Birds benefit from a reliable food source during the breeding season too, when adults are feeding chicks, not just when natural food is scarcer in the cold months.
- What's the best food to put out for garden birds?
- A variety works better than one single food — a general seed mix, suet for a concentrated energy source, and mealworms, particularly useful during breeding season, will attract a wider range of species than any one food on its own.
- How often should I clean my bird feeders?
- Regularly, and definitely if you notice any build-up of droppings or old food. Both the RSPB and BTO highlight dirty feeders as a way disease can spread between birds, so clean with a mild disinfectant, rinse thoroughly and let them dry before refilling.
- Where's the best place to put a bird feeder?
- Somewhere with a clear line of sight so birds can spot predators approaching, but close enough to a hedge or shrub that they can retreat to cover quickly. Avoid siting a feeder directly next to a window, where a startled bird could fly into the glass.
Related
Sources
Written against guidance published by UK veterinary and welfare organisations. Always confirm specifics with your own vet.
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.