Table of Contents 1.

We are disappointed with the RSPB’s announcement on supplementary garden bird feeding, that seed and peanuts should not be provided between May and October. We fully understand the review and the basis of the science behind it, but the conclusion reached on how best to reduce disease transmission, is not one we agree with, for several reasons: 

  1. The issue of disease transmission and notably that of Trichomonosis is not only a result of supplementary feeding, but much more about how that feeding is carried out and what hygiene measures are in place. Our guide details the benefits of feeding seed and peanuts during the breeding season. 
  2. We have carried out extensive studies at Vine House Farm over many decades on the benefits of supplementary feeding during the breeding season, especially for Tree sparrows. The results of these studies are evidence-based and have unequivocally demonstrated the benefits of supplementary feeding on breeding populations, due to the huge decline in natural invertebrate and natural seed food sources because of climate change, intensive farming and urbanisation etc. We believe that stopping supplementary feeding during the breeding season would have a negative impact on the breeding success of many species which are already in decline. 
  3. Customers who wish to continue feeding their garden birds with these products, will buy from where they can – which could be from any number of the online suppliers or traditional retailers that have little or no interest in the welfare of birds. This means the available bird food could be poor quality – posing a disease transmission risk because it goes uneaten both in feeders, where it can become damp and mouldy and when dropped on the ground. The problem of disease transmission might be increased at a local level, because with fewer people providing food, there’ll logically be a significant increase of birds at the feeders where people continue feeding 
  4. A further issue which concerns us, is the negative impact on the mental health of people whose lives are enriched by feeding garden birds. Many of these people are relatively elderly, with garden birds often becoming a major focus of their day-to-day lives. It’s also the case that retired people will typically have the time each day to ensure best practice such as keeping feeders clean, which is surely a much better option than asking them to take the feeders down.      

Given the current position, we are redoubling our efforts to inform our customers, and a much wider public audience, on best practice bird feeding and other relevant issues, and will continue to do this through our website content, in our Advice Centre, and via social media and other communication channels.

We will also use our relationship with the BTO to ensure that, wherever possible, what we state is science-based. In addition, we completely agree with the BTO’s summary position of ‘There is no single formula – every garden is different, and conditions change from season to season and from one day to the next. Feeding well means observing, adapting and responding to what you see in your own garden.’   

On a final note, we want to make clear that our overall support for the RSPB and its wider aims will continue. As a company that puts birds, other wildlife, the environment and sustainability at the heart of what we do, it’s always made sense for us to broadly support any organisation whose central aims are essentially aligned with ours.