This page contains the answers to some Frequently-asked Questions about the seasonal approach to feeding wild birds, announced in April 2026. A more detailed background to the reasons for the change in advice is given in this article, which appeared in the spring issue of Bird Table, the magazine sent to Garden BirdWatch participants who support the scheme through an annual subscription.

The advice

What are the main recommendations?

We advise feeding in ways that:

• reduce repeated use of the same feeding spots by large numbers of birds,
• avoid creating predictable, long-lasting feeding sites where contamination can build up,
• encourage movement and turnover, more like natural food patches that appear and disappear,
• adjust food types seasonally, particularly during higher-risk periods,
• retain the benefits of feeding while reducing unintended disease risk.

What does this mean for seed and peanut provision?

Seeds and peanuts are foods favoured by finches, including those finch species whose populations have been impacted by finch trichomonosis. The scientific evidence indicates that the risks from finch trichomonosis are increased during the post-breeding period, so limiting access to these foods at this time of the year provides our best chance of lowering transmission risk. The advice is to feed seeds and peanuts from November to April, but to pause their provision during May to October.

What about water?

The updated guidance also highlights the importance of water hygiene, since water sources can be a transmission route for the Trichomonas parasite. If you, or a neighbour, has a shallow-edged pond that allows birds to drink and bathe, there is generally no need to provide additional water unless the pond has dried out or frozen. Where water is provided, replace it daily. Bowls or trays should be cleaned weekly, then rinsed and dried before reuse.

What about hygiene?

Whatever the time of year, good hygiene remains essential – offer food little and often, clean feeders regularly, and move them periodically to reduce build-up of waste and contamination. Find out more about good hygiene practice.

Are flat-surface feeders safe to use?

A field-based study is investigating transmission routes at shared food and water resources in gardens. Early results from this work have helped to clarify how feeder design and hygiene measures influence disease risk, informing practical decisions such as the halt to sales of ‘flat surface’ feeders announced by RSPB and BTO partners Vine House Farm back in the winter of 2024/25. These flat surface feeders appear to carry a higher risk of onward transmission than is the case with hanging feeders, so are best avoided.

Reviewing the scientific evidence

What was the review and how was it managed?

The long-term impacts of finch trichomonosis prompted a structured review of the scientific evidence surrounding garden bird feeding. This review was led by RSPB, with significant input from BTO and colleagues at the Institute of Zoology. The review examined the possible pros and cons of feeding wild birds, using published science to establish what we know and what we don’t. It looked at how the provision of food influences individuals, populations and communities, through effects on survival, disease risk and competition, amongst others. 

It was overseen by a Technical Steering Group bringing together expertise in ecology, wildlife disease and conservation science, with BTO Senior Research Ecologist Kate Plummer contributing to the evaluation and interpretation of the evidence base. RSPB used the review to inform its approach to feeding wild birds, both in terms of its commercial sales operation and the advice that it gives, and BTO used the review to update its advice on feeding wild birds.

What does the evidence say about disease?

The strongest and most clearly understood evidence currently relates to disease transmission at feeding stations – particularly finch trichomonosis. BTO research has played a central role in our understanding of finch trichomonosis and its effects. Analyses led by BTO’s Hugh Hanmer show that declines in adult survival associated with the disease have been more pronounced in residential settings, consistent with elevated transmission risk at feeding stations. Ongoing collaborative research between the RSPB, Institute of Zoology and BTO is further examining how feeding practices influence disease dynamics. Recent results from this work, led by Hugh Hanmer and Kate Plummer, identify the post-breeding period as a time of elevated outbreak risk in gardens. These findings have directly informed the view that best practice advice on when to feed should include a seasonal component.

What does the evidence say about competition?

Concerns about competition and its effects on subordinate species, such as Marsh and Willow Tits, were examined as part of the review. Some researchers have expressed concerns that feeding birds supports larger populations of common and more dominant species – e.g. Great Tit and Blue Tit, and that these populations may be contributing to the pressures faced by declining populations of Marsh and Willow Tits. A review of the published literature revealed that the findings in this area remain less conclusive regarding the scale of any impact or delivery of effective mitigation options. It is an area where more research is needed, but a precautionary approach might be to limit feeding if your garden is located close to remaining populations of Marsh or Willow Tits.

Is this a permanent change to how we feed?

The change in advice reflects our current understanding, based on the available evidence. While the evidence base is not complete, acting now offers the opportunity to reduce disease transmission and support the recovery of affected finch populations. We will continue to work collaboratively to address areas of uncertainty surrounding the pros and cons of feeding wild birds, updating our advice as new information comes to light.

Seasonal feeding and BTO surveys

Does the change to seasonal feeding impact BTO Garden BirdWatch?

Our understanding of finch trichomonosis has only been possible because of the long-term data provided by Garden BirdWatch participants and contributors to Garden Wildlife Health and other core schemes. We have made our Garden BirdWatch participants aware of the new advice through an article in the project's Bird Table magazine, explaining the rationale behind the change. Whatever individual participants decide to do personally, we have asked them to keep recording their weekly observations of food provision, birds, other wildlife and signs of disease or other mortality. This will both provide an insight into how individuals change how and when they provide food for wild birds, and deliver vital data that can be used to determine whether the change in approach is helping us to address the impacts of finch trichomonosis.

Does the change to seasonal feeding impact bird ringing?

Bird ringing, which is coordinated by BTO, provides valuable data on breeding success and survival that helps us to understand the environmental drivers of changes in population size. Many ringing projects use supplementary food to ensure that the numbers of birds caught are sufficient for robust analysis. Some of these projects operate during the May to October period and will continue to do so. This approach recognises the value of the data collected and the relatively small contribution that ringing activities make to food provisioning at a national scale. Ringing Scheme participants are aware of the seasonal feeding advice and are encouraged to support it where they can, and are asked to adopt heightened hygiene measures when provisioning birds year-round.