Experts say peanuts are one of the best foods for three key garden birds during spring’s nesting season, providing essential nutrients and energy during the breeding period.
Angela Patrone Senior Lifestyle Reporter
04:07, 21 Mar 2026
Gardeners urged to leave out peanuts during spring(Image: Daisy-Daisy via Getty Images)
Spring marks the beginning of nesting season in gardens, when wild birds require high-energy food to flourish. Given that Britain’s weather often stays cold well into mid-March, it’s recommended to continue with winter feeding practices until then.
But as temperatures rise deeper into spring, it’s important to adjust your feeding approach. Experts at Really Wild Bird Food highlight peanuts as among “the best foods” to offer birds during springtime. Whilst peanuts provide excellent nutrition for garden birds, proper presentation is crucial.
The specialists emphasise that peanuts should “only ever” be dispensed through a mesh peanut feeder, ensuring birds take small pieces back to their nests and minimising choking hazards. If you don’t possess a mesh feeder, seed mixtures containing peanut granules serve as a suitable alternative.
Peanuts are an excellent, nutritious food for garden birds, but they must be offered to them correctly (Image: vandervelden via Getty Images)
Bird food supplier Beaky Bites also advocates for feeding peanuts to birds. They describe peanuts as a “nutritional powerhouse for birds”, being rich in fat whilst containing abundant calcium and phosphorus.
They noted: “These are essential for birds’ health and development, so peanuts are a good food.”
Whether catering to wild or garden birds, incorporating peanuts into their diet will provide them with the necessary energy. This nutritious food supports birds throughout the breeding and nesting periods.
Regular provision of peanuts ensures your garden visitors receive essential nutrients throughout the year.
Numerous garden species, including blue tits, greenfinches, house sparrows and nuthatches, relish peanuts as a dietary staple.
The specialists point out that larger species such as jays, jackdaws, crows and magpies favour whole peanuts in their shells, whilst smaller varieties like robins, dunnocks and wrens benefit from crushed or grated versions.
This approach allows even the tiniest birds to access peanuts without difficulty in handling or consuming them.
The professionals suggest employing a squirrel-proof feeder, which prevents larger birds from dominating if you’re aiming to attract smaller species.
Beyond offering plain peanuts, you might also consider spreading peanut butter onto tree bark or incorporating it into suet feeders for a “high-energy treat the birds will love”.
Tray and dish feeders work brilliantly for serving whole peanuts and splits, drawing in various bird species.
Experiment with different approaches to discover what suits the birds in your locality, and “enjoy the birds flocking to your feeders”.
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