RSPB Summer Bird Feeding Guidance

In response to recent guidance from the RSPB calling on the public to stop feeding birds between May and October, wildlife advocate Sean McMenemy is urging a more balanced and practical approach.

Today, it seems I have more faith in the British public than the RSPB.

Having called on people to stop feeding birds over the summer months, I agree with the science, but not with the solution.

Because feeding isn’t the problem. Poor feeding practices are.

To call for a national pause on bird feeding, particularly during the breeding season, risks doing more harm than good, at a time when natural food availability is increasingly unreliable.

Bird populations have been plunging since the 1970’s. The reasons are well understood: loss of natural habitat, intensive farming, expanding urbanisation, and the steady collapse of insect populations.

In that context, our gardens have increasingly become critical refuges. For over 30-species of birds, they are not just a stop-off point, but a reliable and essential source of food. To withdraw that support, even temporarily, feels like removing one of the last few safety nets.

Disease is, of course, a real and ever-present risk - for birds just as it is for us.

Just as we lived through COVID, birds are living with diseases such as trichomonosis, which jumped species affecting finches (especially greenfinches) over 20 years ago. And yes, where birds gather, disease can spread more easily.

But this is not a new problem, and it’s not one without solutions.

I think of it like a school classroom. Bringing children together increases their exposure to illness, but we don’t close schools indefinitely because of the risk. We manage it.

We act when there is a problem.

The same principle applies here.

At the first sign of disease, stop feeding immediately. Clear the garden for two to four weeks, clean feeders thoroughly, and only resume once birds are healthy again.

This kind of targeted, responsive action prevents outbreaks, without removing a vital food source for healthy populations.

Feeding birds responsibly - by spacing feeders, rotating feeding areas, and maintaining high hygiene standards - already reduces risk significantly. With awareness and vigilance, the public is more than capable of doing this well.

This is why a blanket message to stop feeding birds seems unnecessary.

A more constructive approach would be to empower people with clear, simple guidance. During COVID, we were told: Hands, Face, Space.

We didn’t shut everything down indefinitely, we adapted to the situation.

We can do the same for birds.

Feed. Care. Protect.

Feed birds, but do it responsibly.
Care enough to watch for signs of illness.
Protect them by acting quickly when it matters most.

I trust the public to do that. I only wish the messaging did too.