Topic guide
Bird food
Practical guidance on choosing, storing and offering food for wild garden birds.
Good food can quickly deteriorate when it becomes stale, damp or trapped at the bottom of a feeder. Choose a manageable pack that suits the feeder, store it somewhere cool and dry, and offer only a small amount at a time.
Current RSPB advice recommends offering seeds and peanuts between the beginning of November and the end of April. Always check its latest guidance before feeding, empty old food before refilling and keep the equipment clean and dry.
Not sure which visitor you are feeding? Our garden-bird species guides explain how robins and blackbirds forage, why goldfinches seek fine seeds and why extra care matters around greenfinches.
Start here
Plan winter food around a clean routine
Seed and peanuts return on 1 November under current advice. Begin with small fresh portions, a suitable contained feeder and water you can replace daily.
Read the winter-feeding guideThree useful next reads
- Garden bird calendar
- Spring feeding
- Summer feeding
- Autumn feeding
- Stop spilled seed growing
- Prevent rats beneath feeders
- Keep ants out of food
- Choose everyday wild bird food
- Choose a seasonal food mix
- Compare high-energy winter foods
- When to restart in autumn
- Compare seed mixes
- Choose a net-free fat-ball holder
- Store bird food safely
Explore this topic
Useful guides and comparisons
Best wild bird food for UK gardens
Best wild bird food for UK gardens — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingBlack sunflower seeds for birds
Black sunflower seeds for birds — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingLive vs dried mealworms for birds
Live vs dried mealworms for birds — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingSafe fruit for garden birds
Safe fruit for garden birds — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingWhich kitchen scraps are safe for garden birds?
Which kitchen scraps are safe for garden birds? — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingFoods you should never feed wild birds
Foods you should never feed wild birds — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingHow to choose a seasonal bird food mix
How to choose a seasonal bird food mix — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Food and feedingBest food for ground-feeding birds
Best food for ground-feeding birds — food choice, practical handling and seasonal guidance.
Read the guide →Seasonal guideFeeding garden birds in winter
A complete routine for November feeding, fresh portions, cleaning and frost.
Read the guide →Winter buying guideHigh-energy winter bird food
Compare fat balls, sunflower hearts, suet pellets and whole peanuts by feeder fit.
Read the guide →Suet foodSuet blocks for birds
Choose a realistic food-pack size; holders are compared separately.
Read the guide →Suet foodSuet pellets for birds
Compare small and bulk pellet packs for a suitable mesh feeder.
Read the guide →Popular foodSunflower hearts
Compare small, reusable and bulk packs, then offer husk-free hearts in a contained feeder.
Read the guide →Fat foodFat balls for birds
Choose a sensible pack size and use a rigid net-free holder.
Read the guide →Winter foodPeanuts for birds
Find aflatoxin-tested whole nuts and understand safe mesh-feeder use.
Read the guide →Mixed seedBird seed mixes
Compare wheat-free, nut-free and bulk blends by ingredients and likely waste.
Read the guide →Invertebrate foodDried mealworms
Compare pack sizes and offer small portions in a suitable contained feeder.
Read the guide →Dry storageBird-food storage containers
Compare metal, larger-box and pourable storage for a clean indoor supply.
Read the guide →Less wasteNo-mess bird feeding
Reduce husks, germination and waste with suitable food, feeders and portions.
Read the guide →Fresh foodFruit feeders
Offer small amounts of suitable fresh fruit in a secure, easy-clean holder.
Read the guide →Suet feedingSuet block feeders
Compare simple, easy-clean and guarded holders for suet cakes.
Read the guide →Storage and weatherHow to keep bird seed dry
Find the source of moisture and prevent spoiled food in wet weather.
Read the guide →Feeder hygieneHow often to clean feeders
Build a safe weekly routine around inspections and small fills.
Read the guide →