Feeding garden birds from 1 November

The seed pause ends on 31 October. Here is what to restart, and how to keep it safe.

Updated 8 October 2026

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What the RSPB advice says

Since July 2026 the RSPB has asked people to feed seasonally. Pause seed and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October. Keep small amounts of suet, fat balls or mealworms going if you want to. From 1 November, bring seed and peanuts back.

It is a recommendation, not a ban. The reason is trichomonosis, a disease that passes between birds at busy feeders in the warmer months. It is the main cause behind the fall in Greenfinch numbers, and it hits Chaffinch too.

What to put out first

• Sunflower hearts. No husks, high in fat, taken by almost everything: Goldfinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Siskin. Check sunflower hearts on Amazon.
• Peanuts, in a mesh feeder only. Whole nuts in a mesh feeder so birds take small pieces. Buy ones sold for birds, which are tested for aflatoxin. Check mesh peanut feeders.
• Suet and fat balls. Remove any plastic netting first. A cage feeder is safer. Good for Long-tailed Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
• Niger seed. Worth adding in December if Goldfinches or Lesser Redpoll are about.

Put out what gets eaten in a day or two. Food that sits goes mouldy, and mouldy food makes birds ill.

Keep it clean

• Clean feeders every week. Hot soapy water, a brush, rinse, dry fully before refilling. Check feeder brushes.
• Move feeders every week. Even a couple of metres stops droppings building up below.
• Change bird bath water daily. Scrub the bath weekly.
• Avoid flat surfaces. Bird tables and ground trays mix food with droppings. Use hanging feeders.
• Stop if you see a sick bird. Fluffed up, lethargic, wet around the bill, struggling to swallow. Take feeders down for at least two weeks and clean everything.

Who turns up in November

Feeders get busier as natural food runs down. Expect tits and finches in mixed flocks, Robin and Dunnock underneath, and Blackbird numbers boosted by birds from the continent. In a cold snap, look for Brambling among the Chaffinches and Redwing on berries and windfall apples. More in the November guide.

Questions people ask

When can I start feeding seed to garden birds again?

The RSPB's seasonal advice is to pause seed and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October. From 1 November you can put them back out.

Is it a ban on feeding birds?

No. It is a recommendation from the RSPB, not a law. Small amounts of suet, fat balls and mealworms are fine all year.

Why did the RSPB change its advice?

To slow trichomonosis, a disease that spreads where finches crowd together at feeders. It is linked to the long decline of the Greenfinch.

How often should I clean bird feeders in winter?

Once a week. Move the feeders to a new spot at the same time so droppings do not build up underneath.

Should I still use a bird table?

The RSPB advises against flat feeding surfaces, because food and droppings mix on them. Hanging feeders are the safer choice.