The RSPB shares some tips on looking after, and looking out for, birds and other wildlife over the summer holidays.

You will be sharing your summer holiday with wildlife, wherever you spend it and whatever you do. It doesn’t matter whether you’re climbing trees in the woods, listening to music in the garden or playing football in

the field; there is bound to be a wild creature nearby, big or small.

Hungry birds

There aren’t always enough juicy berries, wiggly worms and flying insects for birds to eat in the summer, so they may need our help.

By putting out extra food and some water, you will help make their lives much easier.

Many of them are still raising their chicks, and they are busy from dawn until dusk looking for food to feed their whole family. Some of them will have had a second, and even third lot of chicks this month, so they’ve had a busy summer!

Birds like blue tits spend most of their time looking for food and they’re only tiny – weighing the same as a pound coin! Parent blue tits deliver a whopping 10,000 caterpillars to their young while they’re growing up – it’s exhausting just thinking about it!

What to feed them?

There are lots of different seeds you can feed birds, like ‘nyjer seed’, which will be gobbled up by birds like goldfinches and greenfinches, and peanuts (but not the salted kind) which will be enjoyed by birds like house sparrows and woodpeckers. But a lot of the treats you enjoy will be snapped up by birds too. You could try mild grated cheese, bacon, cooked potatoes, fruit and cake crumbs (although if you’re anything like me, leftover cake will be rare – I wouldn’t leave a bite)!

Putting out a shallow dish of water is also essential for birds – not only for drinking but to help look after their feathers too. It’s really important that birds keep their feathers in good condition so they are at their peak for flying and making all those journeys to find food.

Attracting feathered friends

If you would like more birds in your garden, why not ask a grown up to help you build a small pond or water feature, put up a nest box or plant some wild flowers in some tubs? It doesn’t matter if you have a balcony or a huge garden – your efforts will provide a safe haven for some sort of wildlife! You can also take part in the RSPB’s Wildlife Action Awards which will teach you how to do all this and more, and achieve bronze, silver and gold awards for all your efforts.

Wildlife watch

There is loads of other wildlife around in summer as well as birds and if you’re out and about you might see butterflies, dragonflies, foxes, rabbits and deer. If you don’t get too close, and don’t disturb their hidey-holes or nesting places, they will be quite happy to potter along nearby and you might even be lucky enough to see some of their babies. Baby birds can look really sad and lonely but, if you see one, don’t be tempted to pick it up. Its own parent will be close by waiting for you to leave so that they can feed it and come to its rescue! Many of our garden birds naturally leave their nest before they can fly properly. Just let them get on with learning.

For more information

For more information on how to help look after the wildlife you enjoy seeing and how to take part in the RSPB’s Wildlife Action Awards, visit: www.rspb.org.uk/youth