Avoid this common bird feeder mistake, or you risk attracting rats to your garden this summer

Feeding birds is a great way to help your garden thrive and feel full of life; however, putting out food for your feathered friends can often bring in some unwelcome visitors, too.

Even when you're up to date with the latest bird feeding advice, it can be all too easy to make mistakes when feeding wildlife. So whilst you may be doing everything you can to keep rats out of your garden, something as simple as your bird feeding method can be undoing all your hard work.

Along with sorting your garden out regularly and being careful with what you compost, keeping rats away can be a full-time job. Which is why we wanted to share this warning about how your bird feeder can be attracting these unwanted visitors.

Common bird feeder mistake that attracts rats

If you're looking to attract more birds to your garden, providing them with seasonally appropriate food is the best way to do it. It does, however, come with the potential risk of attracting other, less desirable wildlife.

John Whiteley-Wilkson, pest control expert at Acorn Environment Services, says, "Bird feeders themselves are not the problem. The issue is when large amounts of seed are allowed to build up underneath them.

"Rats are opportunistic feeders and will happily take advantage of any readily available food source. If they discover a reliable supply of bird seed, they are likely to return regularly and may begin nesting nearby," he continues.

Should you be particularly worried about rats making their way to your home, you might be curious as to why bird seed poses such a risk.

"Bird seed is particularly appealing to rats because it is highly nutritious and often available in large quantities. Many homeowners may not notice the issue developing because rats are primarily active at dawn, dusk and overnight," explains John.

"A lot of people assume that because they never see rats during the day, they don't have a problem," he continues. "However, rats often visit gardens under the cover of darkness. By the time homeowners notice signs such as burrows, droppings or damaged plants, the rodents may have been using the garden for weeks."

It's not dissimilar to when you're trying to get rid of moles in your garden, more often than not, they've already set up shop before you've had a chance to prevent them.

So, what can you do to only attract the wildlife you want? It can be hard to pick and choose what visitors your garden gets, especially if you're into the rewilding trend, but certain things will keep the rodents away.

Along with regularly checking the area beneath bird feeders and removing any excess seed that has fallen to the ground, you can buy specialised feeders that are designed to produce less mess or spills.

John added, "You don't need to stop feeding birds altogether. The key is to manage feeders responsibly. Regular cleaning, avoiding overfilling feeders and removing excess seed from the ground can significantly reduce the risk of attracting rats while still allowing garden birds to benefit."

It's also key to simply keep up with your garden maintenance, declutter your shed and don't place your feeder near possible sheltered rodent hotspots.

It's also important you know the things you should never put in your garden waste bin, as these can attract rats, mice and flies, all of which are unwelcome in your garden.