Gardeners urged to leave two fruits on lawns and bird tables in October

Summer might be over but leaving food out for birds like starlings, blackbirds, robins and many other British favourites isn't just for the hotter months.

In fact, according to wildlife experts, it's just as important to feed garden birds in autumn and winter as it is in summer. Partly that's because many foods are more scarce in the colder months, and partly because many birds don't fly south for the winter and will need to find high energy foods to sustain themselves in the barren winter months.

According to the RSPB, gardeners should leave out a variety of foods for different birds at various times of year, including everything from sunflower seeds to uncooked oats, suet and mealworms. And other garden experts back up how important autumn and winter bird feeding is.

Bird food retailer CJ Wildlife says: "As the days grow shorter and temperatures start to drop, birds begin preparing for the winter ahead. Autumn is a crucial time for them to build up fat reserves, molt into their winter plumage, and find reliable food sources before natural supplies become scarce.

"By offering the right autumn bird food, you can support birds during this transitional period.

"Providing high-energy foods in autumn helps resident birds prepare for winter and assists migratory birds on their long journeys. With the right food choices, you can attract a variety of species to your garden while contributing to the survival of wild birds during the colder months."

But if you want a quick and cheap way to help birds, you can leave out two fruits - apples and pears, sliced up and left on the lawn or on a bird table or feeder.

The RSPB says: "You can put outleftoverssuch as dried fruit, or fruit such as apples and pears. Don't use anything mouldy or salty, though, and if you have a dog, don't put out dried fruit - vine fruits, such as raisins, can be toxic to them.

"Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and blackbirds."

Different birds feed in different locations - some prefer to "ground feed" instead of coming to a bird table.

The RSPB says: "Blackbirds are too large to access most hanging bird feeders. To attract them to your garden, it's best to put out food on a bird table or scatter it on the ground."

The same is true for sparrows, dunnocks and doves, which also prefer ground feeding, although they usually eat seeds.

According to Peckish Bird Food, as well as fruits, you can also leave peanuts out in October, which are good for some birds that aren't migrating.

It says: "Many of our summer migrants will have gone or be on their way out, but by the end of September, our winter migrants will start to arrive back. The first redwings, fieldfares and bramblings will be seen, particularly along the east coast. Numbers will become more noticeable by October but if we see strong north-easterly winds, more may be pushed through earlier.

"While some birds are preparing to migrate, more sedentary species are getting ready in different ways. Coal tits and jays create stores of food, mainly nuts and seeds, for the cold months ahead. This is when jays are easiest to observe as they can make constant journeys between sources of acorns and a preferred site for hiding them. In lean years with few acorns on the trees, they will often turn their attention to garden peanuts instead."

If leaving food on the ground, though, make sure it is in a wide-open location, away from hedges and anywhere a cat could hide. Birds will not feed where they cannot keep themselves safe from predators like cats, or could be exposed to risk if forced to feed near cat hiding places.

If you do use a bird table, be sure to clean it regularly with hot, soapy water if it is flat. This is because the RSPB recently pulled flat, open bird tables from sale while it investigates whether these types of feeders could be contributing to the spread of disease.

The RSPB added: "Bird feeder hygiene is very important. Brush off debris every time you put out fresh food and scrub feeders with mild disinfectant solution weekly."