Bird lovers are being urged to avoid feeding garden birds with seeds and nuts during the summer months, after the RSPB warned that feeders can help spread avian diseases more easily when birds gather in one place.
The charity says seed and nut feeders should be taken down between May and October. It argues that this step could help reduce the transmission of illnesses such as trichomonosis, a parasitic disease that has contributed to the decline of the greenfinch.
According to the RSPB, the risk is greater in warmer weather, when birds are more likely to cluster around feeders. By limiting the use of these feeders over summer, the charity says gardeners can help lower the chances of disease spreading between birds.
The guidance is aimed at people who regularly feed birds in their gardens and who may want to continue supporting them during the warmer months. Rather than offering seeds and nuts, the RSPB advises replacing them with smaller amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet.
The recommendation reflects broader concerns about the impact of parasitic disease on garden bird populations. The greenfinch, in particular, has suffered significant declines after the spread of trichomonosis.
Bird feeding remains a popular way for people to support wildlife, but the RSPB says timing and the type of food offered can make a difference. Its advice is intended to reduce the congregation of birds around feeders during the period when disease can spread more readily.
The charity’s message is simple: if birds are being fed in gardens over the summer, it should be done in a way that avoids encouraging large numbers to gather around seed and nut feeders.
For households that want to continue helping birds during the warmer months, the RSPB says small amounts of alternative foods such as mealworms, fat balls or suet are preferable.
The advice comes as wildlife organisations continue to monitor the effects of disease on wild bird populations, especially species that have already experienced sharp drops in numbers.
