Join BirdWatch Ireland 2020/2021

Every year, you can join thousands of people taking part in BirdWatch Ireland. This event takes place from 30 November to 28 February. If you haven't started counting yet, but you still want to take part in this survey, you can start from now on. Every week, you count all the garden birds that enter your garden. Ask a friend to join, and together, you discover the wildlife in your area. If you want to participate in this event, all you have to do is identify what you see, and submit your findings.

BirdWatch Ireland 2020/2021

At the moment, it’s hard to get together with loved ones, because of the COVID virus. To keep this winter tradition alive among many households across the country, you can simply take part from your own home. This BirdWatch Ireland survey is an excellent combination of nature and your home. Check out the level of wildlife on your doorstep. Ask your friends and family to participate too, and together, you contribute to better results. By taking part, you’re helping provide us with really important information on how our garden and countryside bird populations are faring during the harsh winter months each year. How to do this? You have to keep an eye on the wildlife in your garden and write down what you see. Sounds super simple, right!

How does BirdWatch Ireland work?

The complete survey counted 13 weeks, from now on, there's still 4 weeks left to participate. If you want to take part in Ireland's largest survey, all you have to do is following these steps:

• Just casual glance out the window when you get the chance during the week.
• Each week, you note the highest number of each bird species that you've seen at any one time when looking at your garden.
• Birds that fly over your garden don’t count, and birds in the neighbour’s tree, also don’t count. To avoid double-counting, record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time – not a running total.
• Submit your results every week. You can submit your results online via this form. If you want to send in your results by post, you can download a submission on this page.
• Every count is important. So if you don’t count any garden birds for one week, please submit your result anyway. BirdWatch Ireland is very curious about the garden birds that visit areas, but they’re also curious about which garden birds don’t visit areas any more.

Recognize garden birds in your garden

If you want to participate, you should know which birds to recognize in your garden.

• Blackbirds mostly feed on the ground and eat anything, from fatty nibbles to mealworms.
• Blue tits and Great tits use a feeder. They love seeds as well as suet and peanuts. Fill your bird feeders with seed mix and suet balls.
• Finches, including Chaffinches and Greenfinches, use both feeders and bird tables to eat. Offer seeds and peanuts. Fun fact, if you want to treat them, feed them sunflower seeds.

If you want to recognize which birds enter your garden during the BirdWatch Ireland, download a PDF which helps you write down the right bird species.

How does this help?

Thanks to over 15,000 people that have taken part in the yearly BirdWatch Ireland to now have over 30 years of data. This has helped to increase the understanding of the challenges faced by wildlife. Over the past 30 years, the wildlife in the urban, suburban and rural garden has declined. Results from the BirdWatch Ireland survey helps to spot problems among garden birds and wildlife across the country. By taking part in this survey, you help protect birds and biodiversity. 

How to design a bird-friendly garden?

If you want to transform your garden into a bird paradise, you must take some steps. Bird-friendly landscaping includes a few basic needs, including plants, bird food, shelter, water and nesting sites.

• Plant native plants. Choose local and regional trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses.                                                                                                                               

• Layered vegetation. Offer garden birds different layers of vegetation. Some birds like to forage on the ground for food, while others seek out for food sources on higher spots. Plant bushes, as well as tall trees.

• Plant diversity. Different types of plants attract various bird species. Choose to landscape with specific plants that are favoured by certain birds and maintain the plants that are attractive to birds that are already visiting your yard.

• The messier, the better. Garden birds like a messy garden. Leaf litter, longer grass and fallen leaves are beautiful to garden birds. This doesn’t mean your yard has to be a jungle, but leave some areas in their natural state to attract a wide range of birds.

• Minimize pesticide use. Prefer natural land organic fertilizers over chemical ones. Bugs and other insects are a rich bird food source.

Feed garden birds

If you have any leftovers from fruit, dried fruit, unsalted nuts, don’t throw this away, but save them for garden birds. Place all the leftovers on a bird table or put it in a bird feeder and place in the garden. Mostly right away, you will notice more garden birds enter your garden. Be careful with anything mouldy or salty though, too much salt is bad for garden birds and will affect their nervous system. Garden birds are practically unable to metabolise salt. Also, be aware that dried fruits such as raisins can be toxic to dogs, so be careful with dried fruit and dogs.

Do feed:

• Seeds and grains, (nyjer, millet, oats, sunflower seeds)
• Unsalted peanuts (don’t feed human peanuts)
• Cooked pasta or rice, boiled potatoes, raisins and sultanas
• Net-free fat or suet balls
• Apples, pears and soft fruits
• Insects such as mealworms or waxworms

Buy Nyjer seed feeder including Nyjer seed.

Don’t feed:

• Bread
• Mouldy food
• Soft or liquid fat
• Milk
• Everything with plastic nets
• Salt
• Live maggots

Join Ireland's largest survey and submit your results during the BirdWatch Ireland.

Take part in the BirdWatch Ireland

If you want to decorate your garden as bird-friendly as possible, enter our webshop. We offer many bird feeders, bird tables, bird food and other bird accessories to attract more garden birds to your garden. Buy a peanut feeder to make your area garden birds' favourite stop. If you want to count as many garden birds as possible, you should offer specific foods and design your garden ultimate bird-friendly. Leave old leaves and hang up birdhouses. Fernhill is the place to be for wild bird care products. Enter our webshop and order your products online. We deliver your goods to your doorstep. Stay safe, say healthy.