Gardening experts urge UK gardeners to mow less or adjust mower settings during springKatherine McPhillips and Ellen Jenne Senior U35 Spare Time Writer
09:36, 03 Apr 2026
Gardening experts urge UK gardeners to mow less or adjust mower settings during spring(Image: Iuliia Bondar via Getty Images)
Keeping on top of the lawn during spring can feel like a never-ending task that eats into your time, and if you’re not careful, it can also pose a real threat to your local bird population. Birds start nesting across the UK from late March, and it’s extremely common for them to settle in gardens where there’s a bird feeder close by or an abundance of plants offering a ready food source.
Experts at Food for Birds are urging gardeners to adjust the blade setting on their mowers and leave the grass a touch longer to help young birds make it through spring. They said: “Cutting your grass too short can cause more harm than good during nesting season. By keeping your mower blades higher, you give birds and fledglings a bit more cover. It’s also better for the grass and helps prevent it from drying out too quickly.”
Many fledglings like to take cover in longer grass when they first venture from the nest, and regular mowing can destroy their hiding spots or even injure them directly.
Young birds tend to shelter on lawns in spring and some birds like to nest close to the ground(Image: Getty)
Trimming the grass in early spring can also wipe out insects and wildflowers, which young birds frequently depend upon as a food source while learning to forage.
Species such as blackbirds, thrushes, wrens, and robins commonly nest close to the ground in low bushes, bramble, or hedgerows, reports the Express.
The din of a lawnmower can also distress birds, disrupting the breeding process or causing parents to briefly desert their nests, leaving chicks dangerously exposed to predators such as cats. If you’re keen to support your local wildlife this spring, it is strongly advised to mow less frequently, or even hold off until late spring if you don’t mind letting the grass grow a little wild.
Even if you wish to carry on mowing, simply taking a few moments to slowly walk around your lawn and check the grass before you start can make a significant difference to birds during spring.
Being careful before you mow or skipping the chore entirely will greatly help out birds(Image: Getty)
Birds will also greatly benefit if you leave just a small patch of grass to grow long, or mow only sections of the lawn each week, rather than tackling the entire garden during nesting season.
The expert said: “Try not to mow the whole lawn every time. If possible, leave parts of it longer during the nesting season. You could mow one half one week and the other half the next. This gives birds the chance to move on safely without compromising the lawn’s appearance.”
It is worth noting, however, that if you discover a nest in your lawn or elsewhere in your garden, disturbing it is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981.
Anyone who deliberately damages a nest that is in use or being constructed could face a hefty fine or a custodial sentence of up to six months.
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