Winter Wildlife in Your Garden

The cold weather has arrived, the days are shorter, and trees are looking bare… it can only mean one thing: winter is on its way. For the garden wildlife, there are some big changes! 

While some birds migrate back across the pond to warmer climates, many animals remain here in the UK, adapting their behaviours and habits as temperatures plummet.  

Even as the days grow shorter, your garden can be an important refuge for many species of wildlife. With natural food like fruit trees, shrubs, and trees becoming bare, and water features or ponds freezing over, gardens provide crucial food and shelter.

Outdoor spaces where people provide food with high fat content that are providing water, can make a real difference to local species. Even compost heaps can help, as creatures like grass snakes and other insects enjoy the warmth.

In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the winter wildlife you might spot in your garden. 

Birds

Once winter hits, food sources dwindle, so a wide variety of birds rely on bird feeders, baths, and water features for food and water.

Feeding year round not only helps birds survive the colder months but also allows you to attract birds and enjoy spotting different species from your window.

Keeping bird feeders clean and well-stocked, along with providing shelter (like a bird box) and a fresh source of water in a bird bath, can make a real difference to our feathered friends during the harsher months.

Here are some birds you may notice visiting your garden this winter:

Goldcrest

The UK’s smallest bird, the goldcrest, feeds mainly on insects and spiders, often flitting around conifer trees or hedges in search of food.

Robin

The Robin year-round native species and one of the most recognisable winter birds, especially at Christmas time. Robins are territorial and can often be seen guarding feeders or perching on spades, searching for worms.

Chaffinch

 

These colourful finches prefer feeding on seeds and are often found foraging beneath feeders or on garden paths.

Blue Tit

Agile and curious, blue tits are frequent visitors to gardens. They eat peanuts, sunflower seeds, and suet during the colder months.

Blackbird

Known for their melodic song, blackbirds feed on worms, winter berries, and fallen fruit throughout winter.

Waxwing

A winter visitor from Scandinavia, waxwings arrive in flocks to feed on berries, particularly rowan and hawthorn.

Mammals

In our gardens, mammals have to adapt to cope with the cold. Some species spend the winter hibernating, to conserve energy, while others stay active; during this time, they rely on food they have stored or scavenging for whatever they can find. Gardens can provide vital shelter and foraging opportunities for many mammals throughout winter.

Here are a few species to look out for:

Foxes

Highly adaptable, foxes remain active all year. In winter, they forage for small mammals, insects, and discarded food, often seen exploring gardens at night.

Grey Squirrels

Although they don’t hibernate, grey squirrels prepare for winter by burying nuts and seeds in autumn, which they dig up when food becomes scarce.

Badgers

Badgers don’t fully hibernate, but they become less active during colder spells, staying in their setts and venturing out on milder nights to forage.

Hedgehogs

One of Britain’s few true hibernators, hedgehogs build nests of leaves and grass to sleep in the early winter, emerging in early spring when temperatures rise.

Rabbits

Active throughout the year, rabbits feed on bark, twigs, and any available vegetation during winter when fresh grass is limited.

Supporting Wildlife Through the Winter

Small actions in your garden can have a big impact. Leaving hollow stemmed plants unpruned, building log piles, or keeping a mixed hedge creates shelter for insects, small mammals, and amphibians like frogs.

• Keep bird baths and ponds from freezing; amphibians need somewhere to drink and warm up.

• Offer fat balls, high fat content seeds, and fruit at ground level for birds and small mammals.

• Plant trees and shrubs, which not only provide shelter but also food sources like berries and seeds for birds and other insects.