Life Hack: When to start feeding birds again and how to stop mice and rats eating the food

If you want to continue caring for birds but wish to prevent rodents from gathering for the leftovers, there are a few things you can do to deter them.

Picture: iStock

There's been a noticeable drop in temperatures lately, and with winter approaching, many of us will be starting to think about leaving seed out for wild birds who may struggle to find food themselves in the cold, hard ground.

Bird Watch Ireland recently advised that we should move away from using bird feeders between May 1 and October 31 to reduce the spread of diseases, such as trichomonosis. The organisation said that birds gain the greatest benefit from garden feeders during winter, when natural food sources like seeds, berries, and insects are scarce. "If you want to continue to support your garden birds in winter, when natural food sources are at their lowest, please do so," they added.