Talkback: Why are the birds ignoring their food? - Page 2

I have been very lucky with all sorts of birds in the garden and I do put lots of food for them, I have several feeders dotted around and also the hanging baskets that are not in use for flowers at the moment I put food for the robins in them I have 4 robins that come to the garden they don't have to be terratorial but they are and whilst they are chacing one and other the blue tits nick the food, cheeky little chappies.

Hi Kate Great to read all the comments, but I live in the country and have plenty of trees as you can imaging and have landscaped a quater of an acre about 5 years ago and also have an orchard with 11 different types of apple trees and two plum trees so plent of places for the bird feeders to hang, my question is why the feel they need to go digging in the bark? they have the bark all over the place!!! As for holes they have dug around my shrubs.... I think they are after my bulbs... cheekie chaps indeed here in sothern Ireland!!!Maybe its that im a blow in and originally from Dublin!!!!!

Emily - there must be lots of tasty grubs in the bark, which the birds are finding irresistible. It's a good thing too, as these aphids, grubs and moth caterpillars could potentially become pests of your fruit crops. Nature has a great way of keeping pests in check so I would let the birds get on with it. I'm not sure the birds would be after your bulbs - squirrels certainly, but I've never come across bulb-munching birds. Perhaps the birds are also after soil-dwelling creatures under your shrubs, such as vine weevils, leatherjackets, chafer grubs and worms etc. The (now resident) blackbird in my garden sifts through all my pots, hopefully keeping vine weevil populations in check. I don't mind having to repot the odd misplaced plant if it means the birds get to eat and the pests get eaten! Kate

I scraped away a big patch of snow to provide clear ground for feeding purposes, but the only creatures taking advantage are the squirrels. Maybe there are still enough seeds and berries available and they are eating those first. My hanging feeders are not being used either.