Gardeners urged to put peanut butter on bird tables

Gardeners are being urged to leave peanut butter on bird tables this summer.

The nutty paste is perfect for birds at this time of year, say garden bird feeding experts, packed with fat and protein.

In August, lots of young fledglings have now flown the nest and are busy searching for food independently of their mothers for the first time. Meanwhile, older birds are moulting in the hot weather, which itself takes a lot of energy, so high-calorie foods like peanuts are perfect for this time of year. Birds and Blooms birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman have encouraged gardeners to use peanut butter on bird tables and bird feeders.

They said: "Peanut butter is a good high-fat, high-protein food, and as long as you offer it with proper care, it's safe to feed to wild birds.

"Offer it in a special peanut butter feeder or simply smear it on tree bark. Just be aware that it may stain that area on some trees.

"If you offer it in a feeder, be sure to keep the feeder clean and free from mould. In summer or in warmer climates, put peanut butter out in smaller quantities to keep it from turning rancid."

It's much better to look for low-salt or natural ingredient varieties of peanut butter specially made for birds, as high salt content in regular peanut butter can be bad for birds.

They added: "If you're buying it specifically for birds, look for natural or organic types with the fewest additives. Try offering crunchy peanut butter for an extra nutty treat. It's best to avoid low-fat varieties, which may not have as much nutritional value for the birds."

If you want to go a step further, some bird food websites offer specialist bird friendly peanut butters.

Richard Jackson Garden has a special peanut butter for birds which has no added salt and is easily digestible. BirdFood.co.uk also offers various peanut butters for birds, including some with added insects or added mealworms blended in.

It says: "Our Original Peanut Butter for Birds was the flagship product in this innovative range of calorie-rich bird food. This unique blend of tallow, flour and rapeseed oil will be a popular choice with a wide variety of garden bird species from Blue Tits to woodpeckers. Peanuts are naturally high in calories and when blended into butter, make a tasty high energy treat.

"We haven't added any salt into our recipe, ensuring that this blend is nutritionally balanced and safe for your garden birds. The National Trust Original Peanut Butter for Birds contains 330g of nutritious peanut butter blend, and is also available with Mealworms.

"Feed by simply removing the lid and placing the jar into one of our specialist feeders, such as the National Trust Dublin Peanut Butter Feeder. Alternatively, you can feed by sitting the jar securely on a bird table, or by smearing the peanut butter onto the trunk of a tree for more timid birds to find. Note: Peanut butter intended for human consumption contains up to 100 times more salt than our specialist blend and should not be fed to garden birds or wildlife."