{"id":2173660,"date":"2024-02-21T21:49:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-21T20:49:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/?p=2173660"},"modified":"2024-06-14T14:43:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T13:43:00","slug":"how-to-support-your-local-wildlife","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focusingonwildlife.com\/news\/how-to-support-your-local-wildlife\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Support Your Local Wildlife"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wild birds, insects and other wildlife populations are on the decline. These creatures need all the help they can get to cope with a changing planet.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering what you<\/span> can do to give your local wildlife a helping hand<\/span>, here are some suggestions from the team at <\/span>Really Wild Bird Food<\/span>, who grow quality bird feeds on their farm in Hampshire, UK.<\/span><\/p>\n

Welcome birds into your garden<\/span><\/h2>\n

Life is getting harder for wild birds. Natural food sources are less plentiful than in the past, and suitable nesting locations are harder to come by. Putting up<\/span> bird feeders<\/span><\/a> and nest boxes is a fantastic way to <\/span>support <\/span>our feathered friends and attract more of them to your garden.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bird feeders, bird baths and nesting boxes offer bird populations an essential lifeline no matter what time of year it is. H<\/span>igh-energy <\/span>fee<\/span>ds and <\/span>cosy nests are especially crucial during the cold winter months, of course, but your feeding station should see plenty of traffic in spring and summer as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top tip: i<\/span>f you want to attract as many birds as possible, be sure to fill up your feeders with high-quality<\/span> bird<\/span> seed! Many retailers <\/span>sell sub-par seed <\/span>mixes with lots of<\/span> cheap<\/span> \u2018filler\u2019 <\/span>ingredients that end up going to waste, so shop around and make sure you\u2019re serving up something your garden birds will actually want to eat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Make your lawn wildlife<\/span>–<\/span>friendly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Perfectly<\/span>–<\/span>manicured lawns don\u2019t tend to attract many garden visitors. If you\u2019d like to make your lawn more wildlife-friendly, longer grass and even some weeds <\/span>will make it <\/span>more favourable <\/span>for bees and other insects.<\/span><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to let your garden grow <\/span>completely <\/span>wild, though. Even just a small patch of long grass or a compact section of weeds will do.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You could also plant <\/span>wildflower seeds<\/span><\/a> if you want to <\/span>support local wildlife populations while also adding colour to your outdoor space<\/span>. For pollinators such as bees and butterflies, wildflowers provide a vital source of food. They can be planted in flower beds, plant pots or throughout your entire lawn.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Create a home for other garden visitors<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Another great way to <\/span>attract<\/span> insects and larger animals like hedgehogs is by making a cosy home for them to live in.<\/span><\/p>\n