Many gardeners love encouraging wildlife into the garden and providing a source of food is a great way to entice different species into your outdoor space. Not only will you get to see a great range of wildlife but you’ll also be helping expand the natural eco-system of your garden. Many of the animals that visit can be a big help in combatting pests – toads and birds for example may eat pests such as slugs and snails. And if you have children, it’s a great way for them to learn about different creatures, right on their doorstep.
There are some precautions to take however before you start throwing all your leftovers into the middle of the lawn. You don’t want to encourage some less welcome guests such as rats and if your neighbours keep chickens, you won’t be very popular if you lay on a banquet for larger predators. But with a little thought, you can feed wildlife safely and hygienically.
Birds
Birds are one of the easiest creatures to feed in the garden. In the past, many people left stale bread outside for birds to eat. But bread doesn’t provide much nutritional benefit and, if left lying around on the lawn, it could encourage pests such as rats. So, instead, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds suggests feeding birds a range of alternative leftovers such as cake crumbs, crushed biscuits, grated cheese, leftover jacket potatoes, breakfast cereal, overripe strawberries and porridge oats. To keep rodents at bay, invest in a bird table so that the food can be raised up from the ground. This will also help protect birds from cats. Remember, birds need a good supply of fresh water too, so as well as offering food, put clean water out for them to drink.
Mammals
If you want to feed larger creatures such as mammals, you will need to consider what animals you might be attracting. Depending on where you live, you may be able to attract harmless mammals and enjoy feeding them. But many mammals can be dangerous and you don’t want to risk them creeping into your house (or your neighbours’ houses). So to feed mammals safely, always put the food away from the house so that they are not tempted to enter your home. Think about your pets too – will encouraging other mammals to the garden be disruptive or distressing for them?
Do your research and make sure the food you leave out is going to be safe for the mammals you want to attract. As many creatures that visit the garden in search of food are nocturnal, it’s a good idea to put the food out at dusk – this will help prevent it from being eaten by other animals or rodents.
Bees and Butterflies
Bees and butterflies are not only an attractive addition to your garden but they are important for the eco-system too and will help promote plant life as they pollinate the plants in your garden. To encourage them to visit, grow brightly coloured flowers known to attract bees and butterflies. Remember, they need water too so include a source of fresh water in your garden.
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