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One of the most familiar of all the garden birds is the blue tit (or cyanistes caeruleus!), a member of the warbler family that can be seen all year round and which is very easy to spot thanks to its beautifully distinctive blue cap, white cheeks, yellow belly and blue wings and tail.
With many of our lovely little birds now at risk because of the combined pressures of climate change, urbanisation, habitat destruction and dwindling food sources, it’s certainly heartening to hear that the charming little blue tit is actually doing very well indeed, with populations on the rise and climbing 25 per cent between 1967 and 2022!
Blue tits themselves can easily be spotted in woodlands and parks (so keep a weather eye open while you’re out and about), but they’re also frequent flyers in our gardens, as well – and there’s a huge amount you can do to welcome them into your home.
But how, exactly, do you attract blue tits to your garden? Here are our top tips!
Use nestboxes
Bird houses and nestboxes are a brilliant way to give blue tits somewhere nice and safe to roost and nest. These birds often make their own nests in holes in trees, but there’s nothing quite like setting up a bird hotel in your own back garden, watching with satisfaction as little families move in.
Support insect populations
Blue tits are active feeders and they love nothing more than feasting on spiders and other insects, so making your garden insect-friendly is a brilliant way to encourage flocks at home. Encourage insects by growing specific plants, creating log piles, letting some of the garden grow wild, setting up a compost heap and building a pond.
Interestingly, blue tits are particularly partial to the caterpillars of the winter moth, which in turn are remarkably fond of roses, heather, bog-myrtle and fruit trees… so consider going for caterpillar-friendly planting if you want to see more blue tits at home.
Set up bird tables and feeders
Of course, you can also do wonders for the bird world by providing them with an additional source of food throughout the year, using bird tables and feeders to excellent effect. Stock them both with the likes of peanuts, fat balls, birdseed, black sunflower seeds and mealworms, and you should see an influx of feathered friends sooner rather than later.
A great place to start is with a good base blend that features small energy-dense seeds, such as our High Energy No Mess mix, our Premium Wild Bird Food or our No Mess, No Grow Wild Bird Food.
These will cover all your bases throughout the year so you don’t have to worry that the birds will go hungry as winter progresses. Those of you concerned about seeds germinating on your manicured lawns may find that the No Mess, No Grow products are the best option, since these seeds have been specifically treated to prevent this from happening.
As ever, if you need any further help or advice, get in touch with the Johnston & Jeff team today.
