SEASON
Seeds from November
The RSPB says to pause seeds and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October. Small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet are fine all year.
Check a foodWHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS
Feed seasonally,
feed safely.
Bird feeders bring birds together, and disease with them.
Check a feeder
CLEAN WEEKLYmove it too
In 2026 the RSPB changed its advice: pause seeds and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October, clean and move feeders every week, and stop using bird tables. The reason is a disease that has hit finches hard.
At a glance
- Seeds in winter
- Clean every week
- No flat tables
- Small changes, healthier birds
64%
Households in England that feed birds
A 2012 national study in PLoS ONE found 64% of households across rural and urban England fed birds, and 53% in five British study cities.
HOUSEHOLDS · PLOS ONE
65%+
Fall in greenfinch numbers, last three decades
The RSPB says greenfinches have dropped by over 65% in the last three decades, with trichomonosis causing serious declines. They were seventh in the first Big Garden Birdwatch in 1979 and 18th in 2026.
GREENFINCH · RSPB
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Lots of feeders,
fewer greenfinches.
One figure on how common feeding is,
one on what disease has cost one species.
The RHS reports the greenfinch fall as over 65% since the mid-1990s, dropping sharply after the disease strain appeared, and says bullfinches may also be affected.
A QUICK FEEDER CHECK
What are you
putting out?
Pick a food or feeder to see what the RSPB's 2026 guidance says. The bar shows how much caution the guidance points to.
Based on RSPB guidance published in 2026. Today's date matters: seeds and peanuts are paused until 31 October.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Fewer crowds,
cleaner feeders.
The advice is about where birds gather.
Feeders and baths can spread disease.
HYGIENE
Clean and move weekly
Clean feeders and baths at least once a week with hot soapy water and a non-toxic disinfectant or 5% bleach solution, and move feeders each week.
How to do it
WATER
Fresh water daily
Change bird bath water every day using tap water, and clean the bath weekly. Baths are a gathering point too.
See the numbers
FOUR HABITS TO TRY
A cleaner feeder,
a safer garden.
None of these needs new kit. They are about timing, cleaning and where the feeder hangs.
Wait for November for seed
Keep seed and peanut feeders empty until 1 November, then fill them only with what birds eat in a day or two.
Scrub weekly, then move it
Hot soapy water and a non-toxic disinfectant or 5% bleach solution, then hang the feeder somewhere new.
Hang it away from roosts
Avoid placing feeders under trees where birds roost, and clear debris from beneath them.
Plant some natural food
Sunflowers, teasels and ivy give birds food without crowding them around one feeder.
TRICHOMONOSIS
Why the advice
changed.
Trichomonosis is caused by a parasite. The RSPB calls it highly contagious and says it spreads where birds gather in large numbers, such as at feeders. It has caused serious declines in greenfinch and chaffinch populations.
The RHS explains that it spreads most easily on flat surfaces where contaminated food collects, which is why the advice now asks people to give up bird tables and tray feeders.
Questions
Questions people ask
Should I stop feeding birds in summer?
The RSPB says to pause seeds and peanuts from 1 May to 31 October. You can still offer small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet during that time.
How often should I clean a bird feeder?
At least once a week, using hot soapy water and a non-toxic disinfectant or a 5% bleach solution. The RSPB also suggests moving the feeder to a new spot each week.
Why not use a bird table?
The RSPB advises against flat feeders, including bird tables, window feeders and feeders with trays. The RHS says the disease spreads most easily on flat surfaces where contaminated food collects.
How long can food stay out?
The RSPB says suet can last up to 7 days, seed and peanuts should be eaten within 1 to 2 days, and mealworms should be cleared by dusk.
What about water?
Change bird bath water daily with tap water and clean the bath at least once a week.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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