Garden wildlife guides
What to do, when, and what to buy — or not. Every guide is checked against the RSPB, BTO, the hedgehog charities and the other bodies that do the research, and says where the evidence runs out.
Garden birds
- Berries for birds: shrubs to plant this bare-root season Hawthorn, rowan, guelder rose, holly and ivy feed thrushes, redwings and fieldfares all winter. Plant November to March, and check which berries are toxic.
- Binoculars for garden birdwatching: what the numbers mean, and how little you need to spend An 8x pair with 32 mm or 42 mm lenses, light enough to keep by the window and able to focus close. Try before you buy; no need to spend a fortune.
- Bird baths in winter: keeping water open in a freeze Thaw it each morning with warm, never boiling, water poured slowly, then refill with fresh tap water. Never add salt or antifreeze. Scrub it weekly.
- Bird boxes: hole size, height and which way to face — and why autumn is the time to put one up Fix it 1–3m up a trunk or wall, facing roughly north-east, tilted slightly forward, away from feeders. The hole size decides who moves in.
- Birds flying into windows: why it happens and what stops it Birds hit glass because they see sky or plants in it. Break up the whole pane, on the outside, with markings close enough together. One sticker won't do it.
- Cleaning bird feeders: the routine that actually cuts the spread of disease Weekly, outdoors, in gloves: scrub in hot soapy water, disinfect, rinse, dry fully, move the feeder. Seeing sick birds? Stop feeding for a month.
- Do cats kill garden birds? What the numbers show, and what helps Yes, though most prey cats bring home are mammals. Whether that drives bird declines is unresolved. Curfews, bright collars and feeder siting all help.
- Feeders back on: what to put out from 1 November From 1 November seeds and peanuts go back out. Start with sunflower hearts, add peanuts in steel mesh and fat in a cage, put out small amounts, clean weekly.
Hedgehogs, foxes and bats
- Bat boxes: where to put one, what a good one looks like, and why you can't look inside High up (4m if safe), sunny, near hedges and away from lights; several facing different ways. Rough, untreated or durable. Once bats use it, it's a legal roost.
- Foxes in the garden: what they're doing, what deters them, and what the law allows Foxes come for food and shelter. Take away both and most move on. Repellents and ultrasonic gadgets rarely last, and harming a fox is a crime.
- Hedgehog houses: do they work, and where to put one Often, yes. In a large survey most houses were used for day nests and over half for hibernation. Untreated wood, a tunnel, shade and shelter matter most.
- Hedgehog out in the day: when to worry and who to call Usually a sign something is wrong, and urgent. Ring the BHPS on 01584 890801. The main exception is a healthy summer mother gathering nest material.
- Leave the leaves: what to tidy in autumn and what to leave for wildlife Yes, leave some. Clear lawns, paths and ponds, but pile the leaves under a hedge, and leave hollow stems, seed heads and log piles standing until spring.
- Squirrel-proof feeders: which designs work Three designs work: a cage small birds slip through, a feeder whose ports shut under a squirrel's weight, and a baffled pole well clear of jumping-off points.
- Trail cameras: seeing what visits your garden at night Mount it low, aim it at a feeding dish or fence gap, keep it on your own ground, and you'll see your night visitors. A footprint tunnel is the cheap first step.
- What to feed hedgehogs (and what never to) Meaty cat or dog food, cat or kitten biscuits, or a meat-first hedgehog food, plus a shallow dish of water. Never milk or bread. Go easy on mealworms.
- When do hedgehogs hibernate, and what to do in your garden now Usually from about November to March or April, depending on the weather. They wake and move nests in mild spells, so leave the untidy corners alone.