Feeding birds and nest boxes

In short: Anyone who wants to support birds in the garden offers suitable food in winter, clean water all year and suitable nest boxes. More important than feeding is a nature-friendly garden.

In more detail: Feeding mainly helps common species. Rare species need habitat: hedges, deadwood, insect variety.

In detail

• Feeding station: Feed silos rather than open houses so droppings do not soil the food. Clean regularly.
• Food: Sunflower seeds, oat flakes, fat balls without netting. No bread, nothing salted.
• Water: A shallow bird bath, kept frost-free daily in winter.
• Nest box: Entrance hole size by species (e.g. 26–28 mm for blue tits, 32 mm for great tits), hang facing east or south-east, cat-proof.
• Cleaning: Empty and clean nest boxes in autumn.
• Insects: Birds feed their young with insects, so avoid poison (insekten-und-bestaeuber, biodiversitaet-und-artenvielfalt).