Factors affecting the use of feeders by garden birds: I. The positioning of feeders with respect to cover and housing

Published source details Cowie R.J. & Simons J.R. (1991) Factors affecting the use of feeders by garden birds: I. The positioning of feeders with respect to cover and housing. Bird Study, 38, 145-150.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Provide supplementary food for songbirds to increase adult survival Action Link

Provide supplementary food for songbirds to increase adult survival

Two studies in gardens in Cardiff, south Wales, in January-February 1988 and February-April 1989 (Cowie & Simons 1991) found that distance to both cover (a dense hedgerow) and housing had significant effects on rate of consumption of supplementary food by five songbird species. At a single site, as distance from cover increased, the proportion of food consumed decreased (32% consumed when the feeder was next to the hedge, 28% at 2.5 m away, 23% at 5 m and 17% at 7.5 m), with a greater impact on house sparrows Passer domesticus and blue tits Parus caeruleus than on greenfinches Carduelis chloris. Overall consumption increased with distance from housing in three other sites (34% of food consumed when three feeders were 10 m from housing, 25% at 7.5 m, 25% at 5 m, and 16% at 2.5 m), however this effect varied between species. Siskins C. spinus used all feeders equally; greenfinch use increased with distance from housing and house sparrows used feeders closest to the houses most frequently. Supplementary food consisted of 250 g of peanuts supplied each day.