It has been estimated that 40–50% of UK households feed the birds in their garden. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) reports that this amounts to 50,000–60,000 tonnes of bird food a year – a market worth between £200 million and £300 million, including bird feeders and other accessories.
Anecdotally, people who feed birds report delight and a connection with nature; this is backed up by numerous scientific findings. For example, a 2016 study reported in the US Public Library of Science (PLoS) journal “found that people who fed birds regularly felt more relaxed and connected to nature when they watched garden birds” and that, for many people, especially in urban areas, bird feeding is the closest they get to regularly observing wild animal behaviour. The studies strongly suggest that feeding and watching birds may also have a positive impact on mental health.
But though it clearly benefits us, is this vast bird-feeding industry actually good for the birds and the wider environment?
Bird feeding does have an impact on populations of wild birds. The BTO has found that the populations of “feeder-using species [such as great tits and blue tits] have increased significantly in urban areas of Britain, while those of other urban birds (which do not use feeders) have remained stable on average”. Comfortingly, the studies also found that birds did not become dependent on food provided by humans but used it to supplement a wild diet. So if you have to stop feeding your birds for any reason, they will not suddenly go hungry.
Rival species
Over the past 40 years or so, bird feeding has, however, had some impacts on rarer species that do not frequent gardens. Research using BTO data in 2023 suggests that increased food availability from garden feeding may benefit common species, potentially putting pressure on less adaptable birds such as willow tits. But that’s only one factor among several behind that species’ long-term and sharp decline.
James Robinson, chief operating officer for the RSPB, spoke about this on BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Plodcast in January 2026. He recognised that bird feeding could negatively impact some species but said that, in areas of special concern such as breeding sites of willow tits, the RSPB intervened to advise local households on how to feed birds without causing further problems.
Robinson raised another major issue. When birds congregate around a feeder, avian diseases spread more easily, especially if feeders are dirty or uneaten food becomes mouldy. He highlighted trichomonosis, a parasite that infects respiratory organs; it is especially deadly in greenfinches but also impacts other species.
The RSPB now advises against using bird tables or feeders with saucers or bases in which food and waste can accumulate, and has stopped selling flat feeders. Its latest advice is also to pause filling your bird feeders between 1 May and 31 October to prevent too many birds gathering in one place. It’s okay to offer small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet year-round.
The BTO and RSPB recommend regularly moving feeders around the garden to prevent any build-up of waste, as well as cleaning the ground beneath feeders. It is also important to provide fresh water for drinking and bathing every day. But Robinson was keen to stress that the RSPB encourages responsible bird feeding, which plays a vital role in the organisation’s Big Garden Birdwatch held every January.
Seed sources
One area that perhaps deserves closer consideration is the provenance of the bird food itself. It’s commendable to help your local birdlife – but not if it damages wildlife and human communities elsewhere in the world.
For instance, though many seeds are produced in the UK, peanuts and more exotic foods have to be transported from overseas, involving the use of fossil fuels, and may have been grown using pesticides and artificial fertilisers. Worse still, they may have been grown at the expense of a vital local food crop. So it’s worth looking for labels that guarantee sustainably produced products. Locally grown food is best of all.
Finally, the very best thing you can do for your birds is to provide a rich and varied garden environment that offers plenty of wild food, as well as shelter and potential nest sites. Both the RSPB and the BTO provide plenty of advice on planting and garden design to make your plot more attractive to wildlife. If you can anticipate birds’ needs you will have a healthy, varied and endlessly entertaining stream of visitors to brighten your life.
For more on bird feeding, watch David Attenborough’s new series Secret Garden, from 5 April on BBC One and iPlayer.
