Birds need help to find food

Buy photos » Worcestershire's birds are struggling to find food as snow covers the county. Picture by Pete Walkden.

RESIDENTS are being urged to give the borough's winged friends a helping hand as temperatures plunge.

With Redditch under up to 13cm of snow and sub-zero temperatures set to stay, many of Worcestershire's birds will be struggling to break through snow and frozen soil to reach worms or other insects while frost can rot berries.

Steve Bloomfield, conservation officer for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: "Plummeting temperatures and heavy snowfall can cause real problems. What’s left of dwindling natural food supplies suddenly becomes hard to get to.

"It’s really important to help out birds and other wildlife, putting out high-fat foods such as suet balls, sunflower hearts and peanuts along with seed mixes will really help.”

If residents do not have any specific bird feed they can eat cooked rice, cheese, uncooked porridge oats, dried fruit and even dog or cat food.

But Mr Bloomfield warned cooking fat, vegetable oil or margarine was not suitable as they could be smeared onto the birds feathers which could affect their ability to fly and their waterproof coating.

For more information visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/other-ways-to-help or call 01905 754919.

Regional news »