Winter visitors at the feeding station: who eats what – and how to keep it clean
As soon as the days get shorter and the nights colder, the "bird restaurant" opens in the garden. Blackbirds, tits and robins drop by, and suddenly the question arises: who actually eats what? Not every bird likes the same food, and not every feeder is equally suitable.
In this guide you'll meet six common winter visitors, find out which food suits which group of birds, and get the most important hygiene rules so that your feeding station helps the birds rather than making them ill.
When to start feeding
For many people, winter feeding begins as soon as it turns cold outside and natural food becomes scarcer. Experts stress one thing above all: once you start, keep feeding regularly throughout the winter so that the birds can rely on the feeding station as a fixed part of their daily routine.
Incidentally, the worry that the birds might become "lazy" is unfounded. The Bavarian bird protection association LBV points out that birds do not forget how to find food in the wild despite regular feeding. Even so, the most important conservation tool remains a wildlife-friendly garden with native plants. So feel free to leave the seed heads of perennials and tall grasses standing over winter.
We also show you how to clean your feeder thoroughly before you start in our reel on Instagram.
Recognising six winter visitors
According to the LBV, the most common winter birds in German gardens include the blackbird, blue tit and great tit, nuthatch, robin, and house and tree sparrow. Here are six of them:
The male is jet black with an orange-yellow beak. It forages on the ground: apples, raisins, oat flakes and mealworms are on its menu.
Small, round, with an orange-red breast. The robin also likes to stay close to the ground and takes nut pieces, cereal flakes, raisins and mealworms.
Blue cap, yellow underside, very nimble. It prefers sunflower seeds, peanuts (ideally chopped) and fat cakes.
The sparrow often arrives in a flock and is an omnivore. It takes broken nuts, fat-based food and raisins, preferably from silo feeders and feeder tubes.
Olive green with yellow wing edges and a strong beak. It cracks sunflower seeds and likes small oilseeds such as hemp and poppy.
Blue-grey back, black eye stripe, and it even climbs head-first down tree trunks. It appreciates fat-based food, nuts, hemp and sunflower seeds.
Food information based on the NABU information sheet "Wer frisst was?" ("Who eats what?") and the LBV; descriptions for guidance.
Soft food, seeds, fat: who eats what?
Birds can be roughly divided into groups. If you know which group your regular visitor belongs to, you can offer the right food in the right place:
Sources: NABU information sheet "Vögel füttern im Winter – Wer frisst was?" ("Feeding birds in winter – who eats what?") and LBV "Fragen zur Vogelfütterung" ("Questions about bird feeding").
Practical tip: offer several types of food in different places. That way, soft-food eaters on the ground and seed eaters at the feeder tube all get their share.
Why insects belong at the feeding station
In summer, a large part of birds' diet consists of insects. In winter, they are largely missing. That is why the NABU information sheet explicitly lists mealworms as food for blackbirds and robins, and the LBV recommends fat cakes with dried mealworms or other insects, especially for woodpeckers and nuthatches.
Our Insect Mix consists of equal parts dried black soldier fly larvae and mealworms. It is gently dried, contains no preservatives or artificial additives and, according to the product description, is suitable for tits, blackbirds, sparrows and woodpeckers, among others. Dried insects are easy to portion and need no refrigeration. You can scatter them in a feeding dish, a ground feeder or under a roof.
Important: the Insect Mix is a complementary feed – not a complete feed – and does not replace a varied diet. Combine it with sunflower seeds, oat flakes or fruit.
The right location
Where your feeding station is placed helps decide whether the birds will readily use it and whether they can feed safely. The LBV recommends placing the feeder in the open so that cats cannot sneak up unnoticed. Ideally it should be about three to four metres away from bushes or trees. At the same time, the spot should be clearly visible from the window so that you can watch the birds without disturbing them.
For blackbirds and robins, a ground feeding spot rounds off what's on offer. Move it more often and keep it especially clean, as food on the ground gets dirty more quickly.
How to keep the feeding station clean
Hygiene is the most important rule of all. Where many birds feed close together, pathogens such as salmonella and trichomonads can spread quickly. Classic bird tables, where the birds sit in the food and soil it with droppings, are particularly prone to this.
Feeder tubes instead of bird tables
NABU and the LBV recommend silo feeders or feeder tubes. There the birds don't walk around in the food, which stays dry and doesn't spoil as quickly. Several small feeding stations are also better than one large one, as according to the LBV, salmonellosis and trichomonads occur particularly often at large feeding stations.
Only as much food as gets eaten
Open feeding stations should only hold as much food as will be eaten by dusk. This keeps the food fresh and doesn't attract mice and rats at night. Catch falling food with a tray or sweep it up regularly. Wash your hands after cleaning.
⚠️ If you find several dead birds at the feeding station, salmonellosis or a trichomonad infection may be the cause. In that case the LBV advises stopping feeding immediately, cleaning the feeder and removing food remains from the ground. Only touch dead birds with gloves.
What does not belong in the feeder
- Bread and leftovers. Salt and spices are unsuitable for most birds and harm them.
- Fat cakes in plastic nets. Birds can get their tongues or feet caught in them. Choose fat cakes without a net or hang them in a holder.
- Cheap food with fillers. The LBV advises paying attention to quality. The "Ambrosia-Controlled" logo shows that the mix has been checked for seeds of the allergenic common ragweed.
- Grain in scatter food. Birds turn their beaks up at it, but mice and rats love it.
- Storing food loose. Keep bird food safe in closed containers.
You can find more on this topic in our article Supporting wild birds in autumn.
At the feeding station, variety and cleanliness are what count. Offer soft food on the ground, seeds in the feeder tube and fat-based food or insects for the specialists. Keep everything dry, sweep out daily and clean with hot water. That way you'll really be doing your winter visitors a favour.
In winter, insects are a valuable addition to seeds and fruit.
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Frequently asked questions about winter feeding
The key answers about birds at the feeding station.
When should I start feeding birds in winter?
What do blackbirds and robins eat in winter?
Which bird food suits tits?
Are insects suitable as bird food?
How often do I need to clean the feeder?
Why are feeder tubes more hygienic?
Can I feed bread or leftovers?
What should I do if I find dead birds at the feeding station?
The bird restaurant is open.
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