Everything for our Garden Birds!

Order everything for outdoor birds/garden birds quickly and easily at DRD Rodent Shop!

Outdoor birds are animals of all of us and they can really use our help! Where we used to support the birds only in the winter, it is now needed almost all year round. This is because there are fewer insects, we have built up much more and the natural habitat of many birds is shrinking.

In spring and summer, proteins are necessary for outdoor birds

Birds are busy building nests and raising their young in spring and summer. They need more proteins during this period to gain strength and maintain energy for the young. During the breeding season, birds need more proteins. This can be in the form of: Dried mealworms , Dried amphipods , Dried grasshoppers , Dried insect mix , Dried silkworms.

In winter, fat is needed for outdoor birds

For the winter, outdoor birds need fat to grow a layer of blubber. This layer of blubber protects the animals from the cold. It is good to start with fat seeds at the end of September/October so that the animals can optimally prepare for the winter.

What should you not feed outdoor birds?

As tempting as it may be, outdoor birds should not be fed human food scraps. Outdoor birds have specific dietary needs that unfortunately do not match our food. Bread or dairy products are also not suitable for outdoor birds.

How do you make the Dutch garden animal-friendly?

Many Dutch gardens are tiled and have fences. Often poison is also sprayed. These are all circumstances in which garden animals do not feel at home and will stay far away. That is a shame because all the gardens in the Netherlands together form an area that is five times as large as the Oostvaardersplassen. Fortunately, more and more people are making their garden garden animal friendly! What is often a challenge here is the "how". How do you make your garden garden animal friendly? We are happy to help!

Attracting birds and other animals with food

We are all familiar with the fat balls that are hung outside in the winter for the birds, but did you know that birds can also be fed in a natural way by means of:

Flowers: Birds may not eat flowers, but they do eat the insects that are attracted to the flowers and later the birds eat the seeds that fall from the flowers.
Shrubs and trees that produce fruit, berries or nuts.
A grassy area where birds can find larvae and worms
Do not clean up fallen leaves . There is a lot of life under the leaves such as insects, worms, beetles, all of which are eaten by the birds

Making the garden safe for birds

Hiding places are very important for birds. The animals need to be able to hide from predators such as cats or sparrowhawks. A hiding place can be very natural, for example a dense plant, bush or ivy are perfect!

Help birds during nesting season

Birds make nests. Every bird has its own way and place for this, but we can help the birds very well by offering them a nesting box, for example. In this way, the birds can make their nest in a place that is very safe and they can return to the same place every year. Not all birds will take up residence in a nesting box, it is the so-called " cave breeders " that do.

Every bird has its own wishes when it comes to the nest box and the entrance hole

Nowadays our houses are beautifully finished and cracks and holes are almost impossible to find, which also poses a challenge for the birds, because they can no longer nest in and near the house.

A nest box that faces "Northeast" has the greatest chance of success.

Then the wind and rain will not blow in as much. Never hang the nest box in the full sun, the birds do not like that because it will be too hot. You should also ensure a free flight path, so no obstacles directly in front of the entrance to the nest box. In the fall, when the nest box is no longer used by the birds, it is good to clean it with boiling hot water.

Attract many different birds through lots of variety

You attract most garden animals by adding a lot of variety to your garden or balcony. A nice side effect is that you not only attract a lot of garden animals, but also insects, bees and butterflies, which in turn provides a nice diversity. It is best to view the garden in layers. Ground covers, half-high plants and dense shrubs or trees. If you really want to go crazy and make the animals go crazy, plant a berry hedge, then you have a party in your garden! But different types of shrubs in a row that are in bloom at different times of the year also do very well and you have a lot of animals in the garden at different times of the year.

Some good examples are: Guelder Rose, Privet, Firethorn, Blackthorn, Elder and Cardinal's Hat.

• Turn your garden or balcony into a bird paradise!
• Hang, place or screw (to the railing) a nice water bowl
• Place pots or, if there is more space, a vegetable garden box with flowers or herbs
• Place a small raspberry or other berry bush in a pot
• Let a climbing plant grow along the property boundary or balcony
• Hang a nesting box in the shade for blue tits or great tits, for example, with a 3-in-1 house sparrow nesting box under the eaves
• Hang up a bird feeder, we have some really nice ones in our outdoor bird category

What are the most famous outdoor birds that we see in our garden?

The blackbird

The Latin name for the blackbird is Turdus merula. While a male has shiny, deep black plumage and an orange beak, the plumage of the female is rather inconspicuous, namely subtle gray-brown. The adult blackbird is up to 25 cm long and weighs about 110 grams. The habitat of the blackbird is in dense climbing plants, but also in shrubs and evergreens, but also in dense trees. As food, blackbirds like insects, snails, beetles, earthworms, seeds, fruits and berries . Blackbirds can live up to 9 years in the wild (however, this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The Great Tit

The Latin name of the great tit is Parus major. The typical feature of the great tit is the yellow belly with a black vertical stripe. This stripe is narrower in the female than in the male. Her head and throat are also black, her cheeks are white. The yellow body color of females is generally paler than that of males. Characteristic of the blue tit: the blue tit wears a white "headband". The great tit is about 15 cm long and weighs about 20 grams. As a place to live, great tits like to build their nests in caves. They also gladly accept nest boxes . Favorites on the menu are insects, spiders, worms, fruits and seeds with a high oil content . In the wild, the great tit can live up to 10 years (however, this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The Robin

The Latin name for the robin is Erithacus rubecula. This plump bird is immediately recognizable by its orange-red color on the neck and chest. The sides of the neck and chest are blue-gray. Its beak is remarkably narrow. Its size is a maximum of 14 cm and its weight is about a maximum of 19 grams. The robin likes to build its home close to the ground, in bushes and undergrowth, but also in hedges, holes in walls or hollow tree stumps. It prefers to feed on insects, larvae and fruit, snails and spiders, worms and beetles . In the wild, the robin can live up to 11 years (however, this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life)

The Wren

The Latin name of the wren is Troglodytes troglodytes. There are no external distinguishing features between males and females. Both are feathered in a rusty brown color. The wren likes to carry its tail upright. It also has a small, pointed beak with which it can easily fish insects out of every crevice. With a size of only 10 cm and a weight of 10 grams, it is one of the smallest birds in Europe. Due to its short wings, it is not one of the best flyers and therefore jumps around a lot on the ground or in the bushes. However, it is a gifted and very hardworking (and also noisy) singer. As a place to stay, these birds like to build cozy and round nests with a soft interior of feathers and moss. Favorite food sources are insects, larvae, spiders, flies . In the wild, the wren can live up to 5 years (not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life)

The Song Thrush

The Latin name of the song thrush is Turdus philomelos. The back of the song thrush is brown and its belly is cream-spotted. The body length is up to 23 cm and their weight up to 90 grams. The special thing about this song thrush is its melodious song, which can even be heard at night. As a habitat it prefers coniferous forests, as well as dense undergrowth. It likes to line its nest with rotten pieces of wood, moist earth and loamy soil. The song thrush can often be found in natural gardens that offer many insects as a food source. As food it prefers insects, larvae, snails, worms . In the wild the song thrush can live up to 14 years (however, this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The Crow

The Latin name of the Carrion Crow is Corvus corone. The entire plumage of the Carrion Crow is jet black and unmarked. This distinguishes it from its Eastern European twin brother, the Hooded Crow, which also has grey feathers in its plumage. They are up to 51 cm long and weigh up to 670 grams.
Black crows settle not only in parks, gardens and forests, but we can even find them in built-up areas in large cities. They build their nests in forests, both in twigs and also in tall trees and various masts. Their food consists of insects and worms, snails, larvae, small vertebrates . This species also likes fruits and even kitchen scraps .
In the wild the Carrion Crow can live up to 19 years (however this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The blackcap

The Latin name of the blackcap is Sylvia atricapilla. The plumage of this bird consists of a brown-grey upper surface. The rest of the body is grey. The top of the head is black in the male and rusty brown in the female. And that is why this bird species looks like it is wearing a monk's cap. The blackcap is about 13 cm long and weighs about 20 grams. The favourite territory of the blackcap are semi-shaded parks with many bushes and natural gardens. It usually builds its nest close to the ground in dense bushes and preferably in nettles.
Besides berries and fruits they look for insects, larvae and spiders as food. Since this bird likes to eat the sap of the mistletoe , it is one of the mistletoe dispersers.
In the wild the Blackcap can live up to 5 years (however this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The Nuthatch

The Latin name of the nuthatch is Sitta europaea. Its short head sits on a short neck. It has a pointed and long beak and a short tail. The color of its belly is rusty brown, its back has a blue plumage. On the outside of its eyes it has a black stripe on both sides that looks like a mask. A characteristic of the nuthatch is that it can run along a tree trunk to fish hidden insects from the bark. It grows up to 15 cm long and weighs up to 25 grams. As a breeding ground, the nuthatch likes to take over high-lying old nest holes of other birds or nests in nest boxes, which it usually closes off with clay at the entrance. Hence the name "Kleef". As food it prefers spiders, insects, tree seeds, beechnuts . In the wild, the nuthatch can live up to 9 years (however, this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The House Sparrow

The Latin name of the house sparrow is Passer domesticus. In terms of colour, males differ from the pale, dull brown markings of the female and her light brown underside with a black throat, light cheeks and an ash-grey colour at the middle parting, as well as a brown back plumage. The sparrow has a relatively large head is up to 16 cm long and weighs up to about 30 grams. The house sparrow's home can be found under roof tiles, in gutters, in caves, niches, nest boxes or in cracks in walls and other buildings. The sparrow likes to fill its nest with feathers. The house sparrow likes to bathe. It is therefore advisable to place sufficiently large bird baths in the garden or on the balcony. As food, it likes seeds and grains, fruit, berries and insects . In the wild, the house sparrow can live up to 15 years (however, this is not an average lifespan, as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).

The European Serin

The Latin name of the Canary is Serinus Serinus. The male's plumage is streaked with grey-yellow, the rump, chest and forehead are yellow and the tail is forked. The females are slightly larger, paler and browner. The size of a European Canary is about 11 cm, the weight is a delicate 13 grams. The typical identifying feature of the Canary is its miniature size (it is the smallest native finch) and its thick, short beak. This bird was nicknamed "glass cutter" because of its tinkling, high-pitched song. This bird prefers to build its nest in natural gardens on the outskirts of cities, more specifically in bushes, dense conifers and climbing plants. The Canary likes to use grass, roots, moss and animal hair to make its nest comfortable. As a food source, it searches for wild herb seeds, buds, young shoots and perennials and in the summer it likes to eat insects .
In the wild the European Serin can live up to 5 years (however this is not an average lifespan as many of our wild birds die in their first year of life).