Just lately there has been an argument put forward of reasons why you should stop feeding your birds through the summer - I have a feeling it might be like the moment they told us to eat margarine not butter, and to drink skimmed milk rather than blue top - Anyway, here's a few reasons to consider all year round feeding of your garden birds - just to redress the balance.

1. Stark urban landscapes and modern farming means wild birds have lost much of their natural habitats - our gardens are now some of the richest and most important feeding grounds.

2. Many traditional garden birds are under threat: the breeding populations of house sparrows, song thrushes and starlings have declined by 50% in the last 30 years.

3. By surely we don't need to feed them all year round? mmmm! Birds have different feed needs at different times and shortages can happen at any time. A sudden cold or wet spell means fewer insects and if the weather is exceptionally dry the soil can become too hard to find worms.

4. During the winter blue tits will spend up to 85% of the day searching for food and every minute uses energy. Make food easily available and help them save valuable energy looking for it.

5. Small birds cannot store enough fat to last more than one night, poor little dears, and need to stuff themselves every single day through the winter. So don't suddenly stop feeding them!

6. And in the spring and summer, nest building and breeding is hard work, especially for robins and blackbirds that can have two or even three broods. Think of all those extra hungry beaks to feed.

7. Birds also need high protein food in the summer months while they are moulting and to build up muscle if they have a long migration ahead of them.

8. Attracting birds to your garden is a wonderful natural way of controlling pests, such as caterpillars, slugs and snails. If you want to sound really professional tell your friends it is part of your Integrated Pest Management System.

9. Imagine a real life soap opera going on outside your window every day of the year. 

10. Wild birds promise not just entertainment, but colour and song (or squawking) all year round, just as long as you keep feeding them.

Whatever your decision, order at anytime online at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk and we will send your birdfood order direct from the farm.