Experts say a humble, uncooked kitchen staple could give your garden visitors a vital boost, but only if you use it in the right way
As summer sets in and garden birds busily forage for food. But this one simple kitchen item could help give them a valuable nutritional boost, but it has to be served properly.
Bird lovers across the UK are being urged to offer uncooked porridge oats to their feathered friends during the warmer months. The advice comes as a reminder that what we leave out in our gardens can either help or harm the wildlife we’re trying to support.
While it might be tempting to repurpose leftover breakfast scraps, experts warn against giving birds any cooked porridge. Once cooled, it can harden and become sticky, posing a risk to the birds’ beaks and making feeding more difficult.
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Instead, uncooked porridge oats are a safe, affordable, and energy-rich option, and many common garden bird species will readily gobble them up.
The trick, though, is in the presentation. Oats should always be placed in a dry, sheltered spot to prevent them from absorbing moisture from the rain. If they do become soggy, they should be cleared away promptly to avoid the risk of mould and bacteria.
Feeding birds in summer can sometimes be overlooked, with many people focusing on colder months. But experts say this time of year is just as important, especially for fledglings learning to forage and adult birds recovering after the breeding season.
Insects can be harder to come by in hot, dry weather, so supplementing birds’ diets with simple, store-cupboard foods like oats can go a long way. It’s a low-cost, low-effort way to encourage wildlife in your garden.
If you’re looking to make your space even more bird-friendly, consider adding shallow dishes of water for drinking and bathing. Just be sure to clean them regularly to keep bacteria at bay.
Other safe kitchen scraps for birds include small amounts of grated cheese, crushed unsalted peanuts, and bits of apple or pear, as long as they’re not mouldy or overly processed. Bread, however, should be avoided, as it offers little nutritional value and can leave birds feeling full without the nourishment they need.
Uncooked oats, on the other hand, are rich in carbohydrates and can help birds maintain their energy during busy summer days. A small handful can make a real difference.
So before tossing that box of oats to the back of the cupboard, consider sharing a sprinkle with your local robins, sparrows, or blackbirds, they might thank you with a song.