Knowledge base: Feeding garden birds
Should I stop feeding garden birds in summer?
You do not have to stop altogether, but both the RSPB and the BTO now ask you to pause seeds and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October. Small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet can carry on through the summer. From 1 November to 30 April the RSPB says you can offer the full range of bird foods again.
Why the pause exists
The reason is disease, not a lack of need. The RSPB says the risk of spreading trichomonosis is known to be higher between May and the end of October. The BTO says recent research points to the period after breeding as a time of raised outbreak risk in gardens, and that its advice reflects current evidence rather than a fixed position.
What each organisation says
- RSPB: “Pause filling your bird feeders with seeds or peanuts” from 1 May to 31 October. “You can continue to offer small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet.” Its feeding page also says birds can benefit from feeding in March and April.
- BTO: feed seeds and peanuts from November to April, pausing May to October, while “continuing mealworms and fat / suet provision year-round”. It notes that some fat products are less suitable in hot weather.
On the seasonal pause itself the two pages agree. Where they differ is how long to stop after you see a sick bird; that is covered in what to do about a sick bird at the feeder.
What still matters in summer
Both organisations ask for weekly cleaning of feeders and bird baths whatever you put out. The RSPB says to avoid flat feeders such as bird tables and trays, and to change bird-bath water every day. The BTO suggests offering food little and often and moving feeders around so waste does not build up in one spot.
Sources
- RSPB: How to help garden birds, published 30 October 2026, opened 14 November 2026.
- RSPB: Feeding garden birds, opened 14 November 2026.
- BTO: Feeding garden birds, opened 14 November 2026.
- BTO: Feeding FAQs, opened 14 November 2026.