[bigfatwallet]

Quick question, which might seem daft...

I was thinking of having a bird table on my allotment. I don't want one at home cos of my cats attacking the birds but thought it might be nice to have one on the allotment but... Would they become pests to my vegetables / fruits and neighbours plots?

Are there other 'wanted' wildlife I could try to attract to the plot and how is this best? I plan to have some flowers dotted around the plot to attract bees.

Thanks

[gavinjconway]

I would not like my plot neighbour calling birds to the food table.. Yes they would become pests to you and others..

We spend money on netting to keep them off our fruit and brassicas so my answer is don't do it.. or ask all your neighbours first..

[savbo]

we have a bird table - mostly we get tits, finches and robins, none of whom are likely to do much damage to crops and in most cases will eat pests (while they're waiting their turn at the table!)

Should you get pigeons on your table, that makes them easier to shoot with an airgun

joking - we have used mesh on the table to discourage them...

[allotmentann]

Some birds may cause damage to some crops, but they also eat many unwanted pests too, including slugs. As Savbo said your crops can be netted. I have been doing a lot of reading recently about this subject and have decided that I definitely want to encourage birds onto my plot. I am thinking about some hanging feeders that will be too difficult for the pigeons to get at. I am also intending to grow more shrubs and flowers with berries and seeeds that will encourage them, especially over the winter when they will search out eggs and larvae of unwanted pests too.

[8doubles]

Bird tables also tend to attract rodents which might annoy the other growers.

[Rampant_Weasel]

if birds are presented with an easy food source they are unlikely to touch your crops.i grow in my garden as well as allotment and suffer zero damage from small birds.pigeons are a different matter! but you have to net against butterflys anyway which easily defeats the bigger birds.

[allot2learn]

Is it possible that if birds are presented with an easy food source they are unlikely to search for the slugs and other pests on the plot?

[bigfatwallet]

Excuse the pun about birds finding things to eat, but did I open a can of worms with this one?

In all honesty I expected members to say no don't do it but wanted to double check.

[allot2learn]

My thoughts are that there should be plenty of available food for the birds on allotments, if you leave them to look for it.

[gavinjconway]

Excuse the pun about birds finding things to eat, but did I open a can of worms with this one?

In all honesty I expected members to say no don't do it but wanted to double check.

_{You are right.... In all honesty I expected members to say no don't do it but wanted to double check.}


I'd burn you feeder down if it was on our site....       

[wrinkly1]

i have seen rats climb up bush'es to get at fat balls on my plot. i've spent a fortune on poison.  be wary.

[Salmo]

The conclusion must be that you must be selective in what you feed and how you feed it.

No to open tables where pigeons and rats can feed.

Yes to hanging bird feeders to attract small birds.

A supply of water is always welcome.

You could put up nest boxes for tits and robins. Just think of the number of insects needed to feed a family.

The other wildlife magnet is a pond. It only needs to be small. I used to have an ice cream carton stood amongst my shrubs where a frog lived quite happily.

[joyfull]

Excuse the pun about birds finding things to eat, but did I open a can of worms with this one?

In all honesty I expected members to say no don't do it but wanted to double check.

_{You are right.... In all honesty I expected members to say no don't do it but wanted to double check.}


I'd burn you feeder down if it was on our site....       

That wasn't a very nice reply - it would be nicer if you had just said no you didn't agree with the idea.

[Madame Cholet]

i'm planting a native hedge around the plot to supply berries and nesting for small birds and a small pond too this winter. how about growing sunflowers too for the seeds.

[arugula]

With hanging bird feeders..

i grow in my garden ....... and suffer zero damage from small birds.

Ditto.

Is it possible that if birds are presented with an easy food source they are unlikely to search for the slugs and other pests on the plot?

The feeders encourage them in and then they forage. Some birds like seeds and flower heads and others prefer bugs, slugs and insects.