Council warns against feeding birds

“We’re asking local people to help us make MK cleaner, greener and safer by being responsible when it comes to feeding birds and wildlife,” Cllr Paul Trendall, Interim Cabinet Member for the Public Realm at Milton Keynes City Council, said in a statement.  

“Never leave food out overnight”

“We’re doing a lot of work to tackle pests, but sadly it’s not going to stop rodents breeding if they keep finding a reliable food source in people’s gardens.  

“Please follow our guidance: never leave food out overnight, and if rodents are a problem where you live, please stop feeding wildlife entirely to help break the cycle.” 

Numbers of many birds are ‘declining seriously’ across the UK, according to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Although farmland birds are faring the worst, there are also falls in some garden visitors, with around 60% of house sparrows lost since the mid–1970s (most notably in the centre of larger cities like London and Edinburgh). Starlings and song thrushes are also declining in number.  

Though the latest measures taken by Milton Keynes City Council are while active pest control programmes are taking place, it does mean that existing bird populations will also be affected by the reduction in food supply. 

Saga Exceptional has asked the RSPB for comment on the situation in Milton Keynes, but at the time of publishing had not received a response. 

Head of Pro for Vivara and CJ Wildlife Pro Eric Michels warns that due to the decline in native bird species, it’s important to provide a steady supply of food.  

“Particularly as we head into the spring months, birds will be looking for somewhere to roost, building a nest, mating and eventually rearing their young,” he says.  

For people who want to support the populations of local birds visiting their gardens, yet who want to also avoid attracting unwanted rodents to the feast, there are some steps you can take.  

“Bird feeding in gardens will always increase the risk of attracting unwanted wildlife, such as rats and possibly squirrels, but we can help reduce the likelihood,” Natalie Bungay, Technical and Compliance Manager at the British Pest Control Association, told us.  

When it comes to choosing the equipment you’ll use to feed birds in your garden, there are rodent-proof designs that can help. 

“Weight-sensitive feeders, such as the Leto Smart Feeder means that if something weighing over 70g rests on the perch, the feeding ports will shut and food will become inaccessible,” says Michels.  

“This is also a great option if you have squirrels that regularly pilfer your bird food supply.” 

He notes that there are also several smells and tastes that rodents don’t like, including cayenne pepper, pepper, peppermint, and garlic: “While these smells are unappealing to rodents, birds can’t actually taste them, so sprinkling a little cayenne pepper into your bird feeders, for example, will act as an additional deterrent.” 

There are several smells and tastes that rodents don’t like, including cayenne pepper, pepper, peppermint, and garlic

And, as this writer recently experienced, storing any bird or wildlife feed securely is essential to deter rodent visitors, but Michels points out that proper storage also ensures that any food holds its nutritional value for the animals it’s intended for.  

This selection of wild bird food storage containers and scoops is a useful place to start your search if you need to freshen up how you keep bird food safe and out of rodents’ paws.