Mealworms for wild birds
Dried mealworms are a genuinely useful feed for garden birds, offering the kind of high-protein boost that insect-eating species such as robins, blackbirds and wrens rely on, particularly during nesting season when adults are feeding protein-hungry chicks. They work well on their own or scattered alongside a wider mix.
Why mealworms suit garden birds
A lot of garden bird species are at least partly insectivorous, especially during the breeding season, and dried mealworms give them a concentrated protein source that seed alone does not provide. Robins and blackbirds in particular are known for taking readily to mealworms put out on a bird table or ground feeder.
Dried mealworms also store well and are easy to portion compared with live ones, making them a practical everyday option for most gardens rather than something needing special handling or storage.
How and when to offer them
Scatter dried mealworms on a bird table, a ground feeder, or directly on a paved area away from cover that a cat could use to approach unseen. Soaking dried mealworms in water for a short while before putting them out softens them, which some birds — and particularly nestlings being fed by parents — find easier to manage.
Nesting season, roughly spring into early summer in the UK, is when demand for protein-rich food is highest, since parent birds are feeding fast-growing chicks almost constantly through the day. Offering mealworms through this period supports birds when they need it most, though they are worth having available across the rest of the year too.
What to feed alongside them
Mealworms work best as part of a varied feeding station rather than the only food on offer — a mix of seed, suet and mealworms covers a wider range of species and needs than any single food alone. Suet products in particular complement mealworms well, since both are energy-dense options that suit birds working hard to raise a brood or get through cold weather.
Keep feeders and any surface mealworms are scattered on reasonably clean, since droppings can build up around a popular feeding spot and that matters for the health of visiting birds over a season.
What we stock
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Peckish Complete Seed
A husk-free garden bird seed mix with Peckish's own added vitamin pellet
From£3.00
Peckish Winter Warmer Extra Energy Seed Mix
A 1KG winter seed mix with 9 ingredients and 20% oil for extra energy
£3.99
Peckish Complete Seed and Nut No Mess Wild Bird Seed Mix
A no-mess seed and nut mix for the garden, built from 12 ingredients for up to 16 bird species
£20.99
Peckish Sunflower Hearts
Sunflower hearts for wild birds, a husk-free, high-energy straight for feeder or table
£5.39
Peckish Extra Goodness Energy Balls
A 6-plus-6-free pack of energy balls with peanuts, sunflower seed and beef tallow
£3.99
Peckish Complete Ready to Use Bird Feeder
A pre-filled, refillable wild bird feeder, ready to hang straight out of the packaging
£5.99
Peckish Robin Seed Mix
A 1KG insect-added seed mix from Peckish, marketed specifically at robins
£3.75
Peckish No Grow Seed Mix
A weed-free wild bird seed mix, husk-free and treated so it won't sprout in the garden below
From£5.49
Peckish Suet & Peanut Feeder
A perforated stainless steel feeder that takes either suet pellets or peanuts
£12.99
Peckish Extra Goodness Crumble Mix
A 1KG crumble-texture treat mix for garden birds, with added vitamins
£4.99
Peckish Winter Warmer High Energy Wild Bird Seed Mix
A high-energy winter seed mix for garden birds, feeder or table
£24.99
Common questions
- Do all garden birds eat mealworms?
- No, but a good range do, particularly robins, blackbirds, wrens and several other insectivorous or partly insectivorous species. Offering mealworms alongside a wider seed and suet mix covers birds that are not especially interested in them too.
- Should I soak dried mealworms before putting them out?
- Soaking them briefly in water softens them, which some birds, especially nestlings being fed by their parents, find easier to eat than fully dry mealworms. It is not essential, but many people find it makes a difference to how quickly they are taken.
- When is the best time of year to feed mealworms?
- Spring into early summer, during nesting season, is when the protein boost matters most, as parent birds are feeding chicks almost constantly. They are worth offering across the rest of the year too, just with slightly less urgency.
- Can I feed mealworms instead of seed rather than alongside it?
- It is better to offer them alongside a wider mix rather than instead of it, since different species and different times of year call for different foods. A varied feeding station generally supports more birds than any single food on its own.
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.