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What and how much to offer the tits, nuthatches, greenfinches, bullfinches and many other feathered guests? There has been enough talk about this every year, and so only some basic rules are repeated here. Once bird feeding has started, it has to continue regularly! The metabolism of birds is fast and in the early morning they are in place already at dawn. Severe cold, snowstorm, thick frost or ice on trees after thaw – all these things make life for our winter birds more difficult or put it in danger even. Particularly when such weather lasts for some time. Then they must have more food.

Like people birds need varied food. So it is not worth feeding them only sunflower seed, the food mixes offered by shops are better, or you can mix a varied batch yourself. Fat balls that can be hung up and needn’t be renewed every day are convenient for easygoing bird friends. Rolled oats and margarine or unsalted fat are suitable too. Salt should be avoided in all food for small birds – so lard for tits should be unsalted too. In winter conditions one principle for choosing the right food is that it should be a supplement. The food should also be protected from wind and rain or snow. Feasting in the feeding place should be made as difficult as possible for undesirable total strangers, and we should try to keep an eye on enemies – first of all cats. So – combine the enjoyable and the useful ...