As the country enters its third week of sub-zero temperatures during what has become the most protracted cold snap since 1976, RSPB Scotland is asking people to spare a thought for the birds that need our help to survive the wintry weather.
Finding food and ensuring they eat enough of it to build - and maintain - adequate fat supplies to store on the body and ‘burn’ for energy is the greatest test for wild birds in winter. And the food and water that we provide can mean the difference between life and death for many.
Survival becomes even more difficult in hard weather when snow and ice hide once easily available natural food. Water birds may be forced to leave iced-over lakes and rivers; the ground becomes too hard for birds like thrushes and lapwings to probe and natural food like berries, acorns and seeds is buried.
The plea comes the day after the Scottish Government introduced a temporary statutory suspension on wildfowling to help certain species of ducks, geese and waders get through the freezing conditions, which have persisted for over two weeks.
RSPB Scotland is again calling on Scottish birdwatchers, walkers, dog owners, anglers and water sports enthusiasts to minimise disturbance to groups of ducks, geese, swans and wading birds.
On lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas, the birds will be struggling to survive after enduring fourteen consecutive days of freezing temperatures, as recorded at weather stations across the country.
This is only the second time since 2003 that such calls have been made, following a run of mild winters.
During cold snaps such as the one we are having this winter, birds are more likely to come into our gardens to seek sanctuary. People can help improve birds' chances of survival through these cold periods by providing food items such as meal worms, fatballs, crushed peanuts, dried fruit and seeds and grain.
They could also put out leftovers like non-salty grated cheese, porridge oats, soft fruit, unsalted bacon, cooked rice or pasta and the insides of cooked potatoes.
RSPB Scotland is asking people to follow a simple six-point wild bird winter survival plan that will help wildlife during the harshest weather:
- Put out feed regularly, especially in severe weather. Set up a bird table and use high calorie seed mixes. A good alternative would be kitchen scraps such as hard animal fats [suet], grated cheese and porridge oats.
- Put out hanging feeders containing black sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, sunflower-rich mixes or unsalted peanuts.
- Ensure a supply of fresh water every day. If it is very cold use tepid water but DO NOT use any antifreeze products.
- Put out fruit, such as apples and pears, for blackbirds, song thrushes and other members of the thrush family.
- Food bars or fat hung up or rubbed into the bark of trees is a great help for treecreepers, goldcrests and many other species.
- Put up nest boxes to provide shelter for the smaller birds. They may well be used for breeding later in the year.
People may also notice a change in the behaviour of birds given the extreme conditions. You may witness a flurry of activity first thing in the morning – as birds replenish energy lost overnight - and last thing in the afternoon - to prepare for the long night ahead.
During a hard winter birds have to feed at an accelerated rate, but must also take adequate time out to rest and conserve energy. Many birds become more sociable to improve their chances of survival during cold weather. Flocking together in winter improves the chances of locating food and huddling together during the critical night-time period helps conserve body heat.
The ability to fly is also a key to survival and can lead to sudden - and dramatic - changes in the birdlife of an area. Flying to milder regions in search of areas less affected by the weather or where food is still readily available is a vital tactic.
Garden birds benefit significantly from the increased variety and quality of food that people put out in their gardens. The RSPB Birdcare range offers a wide variety of high quality food and 100% of the profits go to wildlife conservation.
Dr Paul Walton RSPB Scotland Head of Habitats and Species said: "As Scotland faces many further days of icy, freezing conditions, our garden birds will be in for a nasty shock. Insects become harder to find and seeds and berries can be locked away by snow and frost. Freezing weather is a potential death sentence for many birds but by feeding the birds in your garden, you’re helping them survive the worst of the weather. Just a little water, food and shelter can turn your garden into a vital haven for birds in the freezing winter months.
He added: "During freezing conditions, disturbance also forces water birds to squander their precious energy reserves by taking flight - when they need to spend as much time as possible feeding.We hope everyone who uses the countryside will heed our advice and avoid putting water birds to flight unnecessarily. If they do, the millions of birds that visit our coasts and wetlands during the winter to stand a better chance of survival."
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Sometimes nature needs a helping hand. The exceptionally wintry conditions we are experiencing at the moment can make life extremely difficult for our wildlife and it’s important to help out where we can. Wild birds in the garden are one of life’s simple pleasures. A little extra effort now to keep them well-fed will help them survive the winter and ensure you can enjoy their visits throughout 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity.”
The birds affected by the wildfowling are ducks – including widgeon and pintail – and wading birds, such as godwits, dunlin and knot. These birds mostly nest in the Arctic, or further north or east in Europe. During the winter the birds visit the UK to escape harsher conditions further north. They need to feed here to secure the necessary resources for their long-distance migratory flights.
The end of this month marks our 31st annual Big Garden Birdwatch. Feeding birds now will ensure there’s plenty to record for this year’s survey as well as helping birds survive.
1. Garden birds benefit significantly from the increased variety and quality of food that people put out in their gardens. The RSPB Birdcare range offers a wide variety of high quality food and 100% of the profits go to wildlife conservation. See www.rspbshop.co.uk for full details.
2. More information about helping garden wildlife is available at www.rspb.org.uk
3. RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2010. The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch – the world’s biggest bird survey – will take place on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January 2010 to discover more about how birds are faring in the nation’s gardens. Visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
4. The RSPB supports the International Year for Biodiversity 2010
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