Birds FAQs

They are usually found on farmland or grassland where they will be seen hunting. The most likely time to see them is dawn or dusk, although it is not uncommon to see them during the day. They can also regularly be seen along the roadside as they use the verges to hunt. Barn owls are regularly seen at NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes, RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, NWT Cley Marshes, and RSPB Titchwell. 

When it comes to nesting and roosting, barn owls like quiet locations with little disturbance, close to feeding grounds. Their presence can be given away by droppings and pellets, particularly around old trees and buildings, which can be a good sign that your boxes might be used.  

Barn owl boxes can be placed in a tree, on the outside of a building, mounted on a pole in the open, or fixed to a wall or beam inside a barn. If an interior box is more suitable for your site, there must always be a permanently open door or window for barn owls to get in and out.  

The best place to put a barn owl box is somewhere quiet with a clear flight path, preferably facing grassland, with the entrance directed away from the prevailing wind. Parent birds will often roost separately to the young, so providing several boxes close to each other offers additional roost sites and safe places for young owls when they first leave the nest. 

Avoid putting up an owl box near a main road as barn owls are often killed by road traffic. Please note: it is illegal to disturb nesting barn owls. 

You can find instructions for making exterior and interior barn owl boxes on the website of The Barn Owl Trust. 

The Barn Owl Trust has a number of boxes available on their website, along with guidance on installing them, and instructions for building your own. Visit The Barn Owl Trust's website for further information. 

Barn owls have been recorded laying eggs all year round in Norfolk. Although the main breeding period is from March to August, there are sometimes second broods that don’t fledge until November. 

To be sure you are not infringing the law or disturbing potential or actual breeding birds, the best time to move the boxes will be December or January. If this isn’t practical, then a possible course of action would be to contact the British Trust for Ornithology to see if they could find a suitably licensed ringer who can check the box for any signs of occupancy. 

Bitterns boom (the name given to the low-pitched call of the male) in spring and early summer at breeding sites. Bitterns breed in the Norfolk Broads and in some reedbeds on the north Norfolk coast. The best time to hear one is at dawn or dusk on a still, warm day between April and June. Bitterns will also boom at night and sporadically throughout the day in the early breeding season. Good sites to glimpse a bittern are NWT Hickling Broad and Marshes and RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. 

Possibly the best place in Britain to view wild common cranes in winter is Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Hickling Broad and Marshes reserve. Between November and February at sunset, common crane can be seen coming into roost at the raptor roost watch point at Stubb Mill. 

In spring and summer, cranes are very vulnerable to disturbance at breeding sites but sightings of flying and feeding birds are regular in the Hickling, Horsey and Martham areas of the Norfolk Broads. 

Visitors to NWT Hickling Broad can get more information on opportunities to view cranes from our staff at the visitor centre. 

The most common reason that ponds have a problem with too many ducks, leading to fouling of the water and loss of pond plant life, is that people are attracting them by providing food. If you want to discourage ducks, the first thing to do is stop supplementary feeding. Ducks, like other wild birds, are protected by law and you should not attempt to catch wild ducks and remove them elsewhere. 

In spring and early summer, it is normal to see more male ducks than female ducks. The females do all the incubation of the eggs and are well hidden on their nests. In contrast, the brightly coloured males spend time in the open and are easy to spot. With mallards, it is common behaviour in spring for several males to chase and attempt to mate with a single female. While we may not like seeing this apparently aggressive behaviour, it does not affect the mallard’s overall breeding success and we should not intervene. 

The numbers of duck wintering on the Broads and other waters across East Anglia are influenced by weather conditions. With climate change, we are seeing a series of increasingly mild winters. Under such conditions, many visiting wildfowl are 'short-stopping' on their migration, which means that they are now wintering further north and east than they used to. If we get a particularly cold winter, with waters elsewhere in Europe freezing over, then we will see the numbers of wildfowl here in the UK increase. Data from the Wetland Bird Survey, coordinated by BTO, has been used to provide scientific evidence of this phenomenon and of short-stopping, both for wildfowl and many wader species. 

One of Norfolk’s great wildlife spectacles is the sight and sound of huge flocks of pink-footed geese in winter. The best viewpoints to see geese flying in and out of traditional roosts at dawn and dusk are at the RSPB Snettisham reserve in West Norfolk, and on the coast at Brancaster and Wells-next-the-Sea in North Norfolk. 

Sunset or sunrise between November and February are the best times to view big numbers. The fields either side of Lady Ann's Drive at Holkham are excellent places to view big numbers of geese during the day and as well as pink-footed geese, you are likely to see Brent geese, greylag geese, Canada geese and white-fronted geese. The Washington hide at Holkham (15 minutes' walk west on the inland side of the pines from Lady Anne’s Road) is a great goose viewing point. At dusk, birds fly on to the marshes to drink and bathe before going to roost. 

You may also see large flocks of pink-footed geese feeding on sugar beet fields several miles inland of the North Norfolk coast. The Docking to Burnham Market area is a good area, but exact locations vary each year. Please avoid disturbing these feeding birds by going on to private farmland. 

Flocks of pink-footed geese may number several thousand but flocks of other species, such as Brent geese, are usually much smaller, numbering in the hundreds. 

The tree sparrow was once a very common bird in farmland habitat, where they could be found amongst most overgrown hedgerows, especially ones with occasional mature trees. During the winter, grain piles and spillages also used to see large gatherings of mixed tree and house sparrow flocks. Nowadays though, much smaller numbers are to be found in these habitats. 

In North Norfolk, the most well-known site is Choseley which is just 1 mile south of Titchwell, where the species is still present in small numbers. The best areas to look are around the drying barns and surrounding hedgerows. 

If you visit areas with overgrown well-developed hedgerows that feature mature trees, then take the time to look for tree sparrows. Whilst they have become scarce, small numbers are spread widely across Norfolk. 

If you feed birds in a rural garden then look for this species when we have hard frosts or snow, this forces individuals to move from their normal areas and they do regularly turn up at feeders in these conditions. You may be surprised to find they are closer to home than you realised. 

It is known that house sparrow numbers in towns and cities have seriously declined over recent decades. There is no definitive answer as to why this is, but some of the theories include: loss of nesting sites, lack of available food throughout the nesting season (particularly a decrease in aphids, which form a large part of the food fed to newly hatched chicks), increased use of garden insecticides, or spread of disease. Although the reasons for the decline are not clear, there are things that we can do to help the house sparrow. These include putting up nest boxes, encouraging insect life in your garden by gardening organically, adding plants that attract insect life, and feeding the birds in your garden, particularly with seeds in the winter.

It's no surprise that sparrowhawks take advantage of feeders where their prey are unnaturally concentrated and exposed. Birds are their only food and are very hard to catch. In the woods, most chases are unsuccessful; each carries the risk of disabling injury. Sparrowhawks starve in hard winters, especially the small males, and patches of woodland that provide enough prey are scarce in modern landscapes. The sparrowhawk is a native species that has coexisted with our songbirds for millennia. Most of the birds they take at feeders are common. Sparrowhawks are hungry wild birds too and we don’t want to limit their activities. 

The only place small birds are safe is within cover, such as hedges or bushes that the hawk is too big to penetrate. Try not to force small birds to feed in the open. If possible, place feeding stations next to bushes, although if cats are a problem as well, the bushes should be cut clear of the ground. Providing cover above feeders, for example by hanging them under a pergola or from tree branches, seems to be helpful; sparrowhawks often strike horizontally so escaping upwards is a good tactic. 

Sparrowhawks adopt regular hunting routes and although they quickly adapt to obstacles, changes to their route can temporarily disorientate them, giving prey precious extra seconds. For example, simply moving feeders around the garden every few days can be surprisingly effective, and it is also good for hygiene. However, the only effective way to reduce the 'hit rate' at feeders is by placing them inside a permanent physical barrier, such as a wire mesh or netting cage, that allows small birds in but keeps hawks out. Alternatively, seed, nut or fat feeders can be pushed right into hedges – small birds will find the food and move along to safety inside the hedge. Place food underneath the hedge for thrushes and blackbirds. You won't be able to watch the birds feeding, but more of them will stay alive.  

The best place in Norfolk to watch stone curlews without disturbing them is from the hides at NWT Weeting Heath. The best time to see stone curlews is April to June. The reserve is open from late March to late July, then only on weekends in August, after which it is closed completely. Weeting Heath is 3 miles west of Brandon and signposted from the Weeting to Hockwold cum Wilton road.

Please remember that if you do see stone curlews elsewhere in the Brecks, this species is very vulnerable to disturbance at breeding sites. It is a criminal offence to intentionally disturb stone curlews at a nest site. 

Black swans are not native to Britain; they are originally from Australia. They were brought over here as ornamental birds and as part of wildfowl collections. However, as often happens, some birds have escaped and now live quite happily in the wild. 

These are redwings or fieldfares. Both species ‘overwinter’ (live through winter) in Scandinavia and northern Europe, arriving in the UK during autumn and departing in early spring. Both species will visit gardens to plunder supplies of holly and hawthorn berries. 

The redwing is the smaller of the two and can be distinguished from the more familiar song thrush by being generally darker and slimmer. The redwing is dark russet brown on top with a very conspicuous cream-coloured eye-stripe. The under parts are whitish, streaked dark brown with a large and conspicuous red-coloured flank and under wing – hence its name.  

The fieldfare is a larger bird, comparable to our mistle thrush, and can be distinguished from all other UK thrushes by the combination of blue-grey head and rump and chestnut back and wings. The fieldfare is also quite a noisy bird, particularly in flight, and its harsh ‘chack-chack’ calls will quite often alert you to its presence. 

Research undertaken by the RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) showed that there was no evidence of magpies driving the decline of songbirds. Magpies and other members of the crow family will take eggs and nestlings of other species, and while this may be upsetting to witness, it is completely natural behaviour. Their study found that “songbird numbers were no different in places where there were many magpies from where there were few.” While the worrying decline of our songbird populations since the 1970s is complex, it is thought the loss of suitable habitat, food availability, changes in agricultural practices, and climate change are having the greatest impacts. 

The best way to learn is by spending time outside listening to songs and calls with someone who can already recognise them. Most people find it impossible to learn more than a couple of new calls or songs in a day so it's worth focusing on just a couple of species during a walk. Once you really know the calls made by common species such as robins, wrens, great tits and wood pigeons, it will become progressively easier to pick out anything different. 

There are a number of free apps available that can help with learning bird songs and calls, such as Nord University BirdID, Merlin Bird ID and UK Bird Sounds. 

We organise many guided walks on our nature reserves which often provide opportunities to learn from and with others who will be delighted to share their knowledge (check our event listings for what’s coming up). 

Modern research challenges the old belief that only male birds sing. A particular problem in the field is that we cannot tell male from female in many of our common songbird species, such as robin, dunnock, and wren. But, by catching birds of known sex (in the breeding season) and marking them, for example with unique combinations of coloured leg rings, it has been found that females do sing in all these species. 

Both male and female robins sing in autumn – a softer, quieter song than the spring song which is mostly (but not exclusively) produced by males. Some female dunnocks sing more than others, for unknown reasons, although their song is shorter and less elaborate than that of the male. Dominant, paired females may use it to manage their complicated menages of two or more males. 

Most singing wrens are indeed male, but females can sing when they choose, and have in addition a unique 'whisper-song' they use to communicate with their chicks. 

In fact, all female songbirds produce a wide repertoire of sounds for different times – while feeding, as alarms, and for communication with mates and young – many of which could be described as 'song'. The quieter, softer song produced by female birds is often known as 'sub-song'; in many species it is produced all year round and is no less important in the birds' lives than the loud territorial song of the male. 

Although not illegal in itself, under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, it is a criminal offence to disturb, intentionally or recklessly, at or near the nest, a species listed on Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. The RSPB notes that "disturbance could include playback of songs and calls". 

We advise that using a song or call playback app is not best practice and we discourage its use. It should never be used during a bird's breeding season as it can distract them from successful breeding duties in preference for territorial maintenance. 

The RSPB has further information on its use and the law. 

For tit and sparrow boxes, you need to fix a metal plate on the front of the box to stop the squirrels from gnawing their way in. The plates can be bought from the RSPB or some garden centres. Ready-made boxes with metal plates can also be bought. Gorse or rose clippings hung above and below the nest will also help to deter squirrels. Open-fronted boxes are harder to protect but you can help by making sure they are well hidden in dense plant cover.

You can feed birds all year round. Natural food shortages can happen at any time of year, and regular feeding will ensure wild birds always have a supply of food whenever shortages do occur. However, it is important to be mindful of what you are feeding them at different times of year. Birds will time their breeding period to coincide with the availability of natural food sources, such as caterpillars. When the weather is cold and wet or extremely dry during the breeding season, foraging for natural foods can be more difficult and shortages may even occur. Feeding birds in spring and early summer can increase the survival rate of nesting birds during this period. Protein-rich food is needed in summer, such as sunflower seeds, mealworms, raisins, and insectivorous bird food mixes, but avoid feeding peanuts at this time of year as they can present a choking hazard if given to nestlings. In fair weather, adult birds will keep themselves in good condition by using your bird feeders but continue to forage for appropriate food, such as invertebrates, to feed their young. 

Winter feeding, especially during cold spells, can be a lifeline for many birds. Energy-rich foods, such as loose fat balls, suet pellets, nuts, seeds, and cut up apples, are best in winter to help them maintain fat reserves. As well as providing supplementary foods from feeders, it is worth managing the habitats in your garden to provide more natural foods. 

Good hygiene of your feeding station is vital all year round. Keep your garden birds fit and healthy by regularly cleaning bird feeders, bird tables, and bird baths to prevent the spread of avian diseases. The RSPB recommends that food quantity is adjusted to meet the demand, and never allow uneaten food to accumulate around the feeders. 

You should clean your nest box out each year. Please wait until autumn in case there are any second broods in the box. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 only permits the cleaning out of nests between 1 August and 31 January, and states that any dead eggs must be destroyed. Make sure you wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards as nesting material can contain parasites and bacteria. 

The best time to put up a nest box is in the autumn or winter as this will give the birds a chance to find and get used to your box before the nesting season begins. There are various types of nest boxes available to buy, or you can make your own.  

When choosing and locating your box, you need to first consider the type of bird you are hoping to attract. Then consider the safety and comfort of your birds. Try to site the box where there is not easy access for predators such as cats and squirrels. Choose an area where there is shelter from prevailing wind and rain and avoiding strong direct sunlight and south-facing walls. If the nest box is tilted forward slightly, it will help any rain run-off. It is important that the entrance is clear to enable birds to have an easy flight path. 

The height the nest box should be placed depends on the species it is intended for. Boxes for tits, sparrows, spotted flycatchers and starlings are best placed 2 to 4 metres high. Open-fronted nest boxes designed for wrens and robins are best placed lower down in thick cover between 1 and 2 metres above the ground. 

If you can site your box above a thorny bush, this will help to deter cats. If you are using an open-fronted nest box to attract robins, make sure you site the box under some shrubby cover so the box is less exposed. Try to ensure there is an unhindered flight path to the box and somewhere safe nearby for the birds to perch before entering the nest, so they can visually check for any predators. Woodpecker boxes can be higher at 5 to 10 metres high and placed on a tree trunk.

Do not site your bird box near to bird tables or feeders as the high level of activity will discourage birds from nesting nearby. If you have the room, you can have more than one bird box in your garden. 

If you have sufficient storage space, it is far more cost-effective to buy bird food in bulk. Birds need high-fat foods such as peanuts, seeds, fat balls, and meal worms, which you can get from garden centres and pet shops. Niger seeds and sunflower hearts may seem expensive but because there is no waste these foods can be more economical. Store your bird food in a cool, dry, secure place. 

Kitchen scraps such as bacon fat, bruised apples and pears, cooked potato, grated cheese, cake crumbs (including leftover Christmas cake), raisins, cooked rice, and pastry are also welcome – a variety of foods will attract different species of birds. Please ensure that you continue putting out food once you have started as the birds will come to rely on it. 

Food for feeders: 

It is important to keep feeders topped up, especially first thing in the morning, when birds are active and replacing energy lost overnight. Fill feeders with peanuts, seed mixes, sunflower hearts, and fat balls (don’t use fat balls in nets as birds can get their feet caught in them). Additionally, goldfinches – if you have any nearby – can be attracted with Niger seeds. 

Try and put bird feeders in a sheltered spot in the garden, away from the cold wind and well out of the reach of cats. Also use squirrel-proof feeders if squirrels are regular visitors to your garden. Larger feeders are easier to maintain because they don’t need filling up so often; however, if the food is not eaten quickly or adequately sheltered, it may grow mouldy. If any seeds at the bottom of the feeder become soggy, throw them out and let the feeder dry out before you refill it. Rather than rushing to refill feeders during the day, keep a tray underneath them; many seeds will spill throughout the day, and ground-feeding birds can be encouraged to pick these up. Avoid the spread of disease by cleaning feeders and bird tables regularly. 

Ground food: 

Not all birds use feeders, so sprinkling food on the ground or on a bird table will be beneficial, provided there are no cats around. Do not put too much food out on the ground, however, as any which is left over at the end of the day may attract rats. 

Garden plants: 

Don’t keep your garden too tidy! Leave seed heads and berries on plants and leave nest boxes up as roosting sites. 

Water: 

Birds need a supply of clean water every day; not just to drink, but also to wash in. Use bowls if you do not have a bird bath. Try adding small twigs or ping pong balls to the water – the movement of this makeshift flotsam will prevent the surface of the water from freezing over. Do not use any salt or antifreeze products, as antifreeze is a poison that is lethal to wildlife and pets. 

If rats become a problem at bird feeding sites, it may be necessary to cease feeding for a period to discourage them. Rats are most active at night so removing feeders at night and ensuring no uneaten food remains on the ground overnight will also reduce the likelihood of this problem. Place your hanging feeders away from walls covered with ivy or climbing plants to make it harder for rats to access. Pole-mounted feeders can be made inaccessible to rats if a slippery metal or plastic pole is used, or a collar is mounted below the feeder. 

If you wish to deter squirrels from hanging bird feeders, then use squirrel-proof metal feeders which allow access to small birds but have a mesh preventing access to squirrels. Alternatively, place pole-mounted feeders away from overhanging trees. 

This is a very difficult problem; many bird enthusiasts are also, understandably, cat lovers. The most recent research suggests that domestic cats in the UK catch approximately 160–270 million prey animals a year – a quarter of which are birds. Most cats are more interested in mammals, but the few that target birds do so with determination. Some experts believe the mere presence of cats can deter birds from feeding efficiently and breeding successfully. Even if a cat brings very few dead birds home, it may in fact be killing many more as cat saliva is notoriously septic and it’s thought that even birds with minor wounds probably die from blood poisoning. 

Undoubtedly, all responsible cat owners should keep their pets indoors at night, as much for their own welfare as that of other wildlife. Cats are expert climbers with excellent night vision and can easily find roosting birds; after dark they are also vulnerable to road traffic and can acquire incurable diseases from feral cats. Bells on collars somewhat reduce the rate of ‘casual’ kills, but when a cat sets its mind to hunting it does so by stealth; a cat lurking ready to ambush will not be ringing its bell! Much more effective are the harmless, motion-censored, ultrasonic cat ‘irritators’, which are widely available. However, cats will learn to sneak around the sensor’s activation zone, avoiding triggering the ultrasonic deterrent. Simply moving the device 1 or 2 metres (or even just twisting it to adjust the activation zone) every ten days or so will keep them guessing. 

If you feed birds but would like a cat, consider a lazy, neutered cat; a cat with a bright coat; or older cats. Young female cats – just like lions – are often spectacularly efficient killers, especially if their coats are dark or camouflaged. And remember that one-eyed or three-legged cats often end their days unwanted in sanctuaries or worse, yet they make charming and affectionate pets. 

Good hygiene at bird feeding stations is important all year round. Birds are vulnerable to a range of diseases, many of which are transmitted by droppings. If food or drinking water is contaminated, avian diseases can quickly spread. Bird tables and feeders should be kept clean and free from droppings and uneaten feed. Feeders, bird tables, and baths can be cleaned using an animal-safe disinfectant, weak solution of domestic disinfectant, or boiling water. Cleaning should be done every couple of weeks as a minimum.  

Moving feeders around your garden will help prevent a build-up of droppings on the ground below. Food should not be allowed to go mouldy. When cleaning feeders, it is advisable to wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards. On bird tables, or if feeding birds on the ground, do not provide more food than is eaten in a single day and put out fresh food each morning. 

Adding netting across the surface of a small pond or building a fence-like barrier can make it more difficult for herons to reach fish and work as an effective deterrent. Herons usually land on the grassy edges of ponds and then walk to the water’s edge, so planting shrubs and bushes around the pond will make the area less attractive to them. 

Ensuring there are refuge areas in a pond where fish can hide will also help, such as floating plants, marginal plants, or an overhanging bush that makes an area of the pond less accessible. Herons generally dislike areas frequently disturbed by people, so regularly enjoying your pond or putting a new pond close to your house rather than at the end of your garden will reduce the likelihood of herons becoming a problem. 

There is little evidence that placing a plastic heron by your pond will deter the real thing – it might even do the opposite and attract one! Audio deterrents that make a loud bang will frighten away herons but may not endear you to your neighbours. Where herons are a persistent problem, why not turn your pond into a wildlife pond?

Plants provide three essential resources for wild birds. Number one is cover. Birds need a range of vegetation for shelter from weather, protection from predators, for roosting, and for making their nests. Number two: wild birds need invertebrates, such as tiny caterpillars, aphids, beetles, and sawfly larvae, to feed themselves and feed their chicks. Even house sparrows, which eat almost entirely seeds as adults, require huge numbers of invertebrates to survive their first few days after hatching. Number three: the seeds, nuts and berries of plants are vital food for birds in autumn, winter and early spring. To support and attract the greatest range and number of birds, your plants should offer as many of these resources as possible. 

Providing hedges and bushes as cover can provide a dense or thorny means of protection, and an excellent nest site for a range of birds. Hawthorn is an ideal species, not only excellent at concealing nests but also supporting invertebrate larvae and providing berries through the autumn and winter, perfect for winter thrushes. Other plants that tick all three boxes include ivy, holly, yew (females for berries), blackthorn and bramble. Rowan, elder and dogwood are also excellent species for providing berries. Tussocky grass, scrub and areas of taller vegetation may even provide nesting sites for warblers. 

Birds will frequently make use of wilder patches of grass in gardens to search for invertebrates. Where thistles and dandelions are left to go to seed, goldfinches and bullfinches will tidy them up by eating the seeds themselves. Food plants for invertebrates attract all kinds of wildlife, and some great species to include in your garden are wild marjoram, thyme, teasels, and sunflowers. A small patch of nettles is also excellent for butterfly, moth, and ladybird larvae. If you have room for trees, an apple tree, ash, or oak will support a wide range of wildlife species. 

While native plant species will attract the greatest number of birds, there are many ornamental plant choices that still provide a great benefit to wildlife, and a range of native and non-native species can still create a wildlife-rich garden. 

Please note, any cutting, pruning, or substantial tidy up of vegetation should be done outside of the bird nesting season, preferably in winter. 

There are several reasons why this could be. Their absence is particularly noticeable in August and September. During this time, there is an abundance of natural food available, so birds are not so dependent on feeders in gardens. They will also be moulting their old feathers and growing new ones to protect them during the winter. During this vulnerable time, they need the protection of the cover of trees and hedges. 

As winter approaches and natural food becomes scarce, birds will return to bird tables and the essential food they provide. 

In addition, a national decline of some species, including sparrows and starling, has been recorded. Although the reasons for this are not clear, it is believed that changes in farming techniques have meant that less food is readily available for these species.

It is illegal to have in your possession any wild bird or bird derivatives, including eggs, unless you can prove that the collection was obtained before 1981. It is illegal to sell, barter or exchange your collection. If there is good documentation about the eggs, such as the dates and places they were obtained from, then it’s worth checking to see if a local museum would be interested in taking the collection.

Trichomonosis is a disease in birds caused by a trichomonad parasite – Trichomonas gallinae. It has been recorded in several garden bird species, such as greenfinches, chaffinches, sparrows and blackbirds, and is now acknowledged to be a large cause of the rapid decline of greenfinch numbers in the UK. The disease also affects pigeons and doves (when it is called ‘canker’) and birds of prey that have fed on infected birds (when it is called ‘frounce’). 

The affected birds cannot eat because the parasite causes their throats to swell, and the birds usually die of starvation. The parasite thrives in damp places and is spread via the saliva and possibly the droppings of infected birds around feeding and bathing areas. Symptoms include drooling, difficulty swallowing, and regurgitation of food. The feathers around the face and beak are often matted and wet. Sick birds often look ill and lethargic and won’t fly away when approached. 

The parasite cannot be passed on to humans or other mammals, but poultry, aviary, and pet birds can be affected. While the disease can be treated in domestic birds, it is difficult to treat wild birds because of the practicalities involved. However, making sure bird baths, feeders and tables, and the areas around them are kept clean helps to reduce the risk of birds getting infected. 

If you find sick or dead birds in your garden, it is advised to stop feeding the birds on the ground and bird tables for at least two weeks until there are no more sick birds in the area. 

A bird could be sick or injured for several reasons, such as disease or after escaping from a predator. Since its outbreak in 2021, avian influenza (bird flu) has been devastating populations of wild birds across the UK and it is far more likely that you will find a sick bird. Geese, gulls, seabirds, and birds of prey seem to be most affected at present, but new species affected are being found all the time. Symptoms of the disease include a lack of coordination, dragging legs, and respiratory distress. Other possible diseases include trichomonosis, where birds infected with the parasite may display symptoms of drooling or wet, matted feathers around the face. 

Do not touch any sick birds. In most cases, the kindest thing to do for the bird is to arrange to have it put to sleep as it will probably starve to death otherwise. If you feed the birds, then stop feeding them on the ground and on bird tables for at least two weeks until there are no more sick birds in the area. Empty and disinfect feeders and bird baths using a 10% solution of disinfectant and leave your bird baths dry for the same period.  

If you suspect bird flu, you can report it to the Defra helpline on 03459 33 55 77. 

For all other problems and injured birds, please contact the RSPCA or East Winch Wildlife Rescue on 0300 123 0709, Monday – Friday for more advice, or call 0300 1234 999 at any time. 

The best general advice is not to interfere. It is most likely that the parent birds are nearby and will return when you leave the area. Very young birds may sometimes fall from nests. If it is safe to do so, and you are certain of the nest the bird has fallen from, then it may be appropriate to return the bird to its nest. However, only do so if this can be done without putting yourself or the nest at risk. Sadly, many young birds do die of natural causes during the first few weeks of leaving the nest – it is normal that not all young from a nest will survive to independence. 

Find out more on this information sheet from the RSPCA.

If you find a bird that has been ringed, please contact the Ringing Unit at the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). If the bird is large, you may be able to read the ring without handling it. However, it will be difficult to do this on a small bird, so please wear gloves and thoroughly wash your hands and any equipment used to handle the dead bird. 

Please report the ring number and if the bird is dead send the ring along with your letter. Provide as much information as you can about the location of where the bird was found, for example, the nearest town/grid reference. Also include the date you found the bird and the species if it is known. If the bird was dead, please also include any information on the cause of death. Also include your details so the BTO can be in contact. 

BTO – Report a bird ring 

In the interests of monitoring and understanding the spread of avian influenza (bird flu), Defra asks that you report any dead waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks), gulls, or birds of prey you find.  

You should also report any other dead wild birds you find in numbers of five or more. You can contact them on the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77). Do not touch or handle the dead bird if you can avoid it, but if you must, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands thoroughly as soon as possible, keeping your hands away from your face and any food. 

If the bird is a racing pigeon, rings can be reported to The Royal Pigeon Racing Association.

In the interests of monitoring and understanding the spread of avian influenza (bird flu), Defra asks that you report any dead waterfowl (swans, geese, ducks), gulls, or birds of prey you find. You should also report any other dead wild birds you find in numbers of five or more. You can contact them on the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77) or submit your sighting online by visiting the government website. 

Do not touch or handle dead birds. 

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) carries out many surveys to monitor bird populations and actively seeks assistance from members of the public. For more information, go to their website at www.bto.org. Alternatively, you can take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch which normally takes place in January.