Are your garden birds here for a season’s greeting?

Are your garden birds here for a season’s greeting? - RSPB

Redwing by Dr Georg Wietschorke (pixabay)

Freezing conditions force hungry winter migrant birds, fieldfares and redwings, into gardens.

Across the country large numbers of winter thrushes, fieldfares and redwings are turning up on lawns as the temperature plummets. These birds are often mistaken for the song thrush, which can be found in gardens all year round, as they look very similar. Sadly the more familiar song thrush, together with winter visitors fieldfares and redwings are all on the conservation status red list and are globally under threat as numbers have declined dramatically.

RSPB Wildlife Advisor Charlotte Ambrose says: “At this point in winter much of the natural food supply will have been used up. So with the weather now turning dramatically for much of the UK, these hungry birds have moved into gardens for food, water and shelter. You can help these beautiful visitors get through this cold snap by putting out fruit like apples and pears and planting winter berry plants such as holly. Remember they’ll need water too, so keep your bird bath topped up and ice free.”