Birds really need your help to feed as the nights draw in.

There are different mixes of food for feeders, bird-tables and ground feeding but, when buying bird food, remember that the better mixtures contain plenty of flaked maize, sunflower seeds, and peanut granules.

Avoid seed mixtures that have split peas, beans, dried rice or lentils as these are included to add bulk to the mix and only the large species can eat them dry.

Any mixture containing green or pink lumps should also be avoided as these are dog biscuit, which can only be eaten when soaked.

Just as you’d spruce up your house for visitors, it’s a good idea to give feeders a good clean. Cleanliness is very important as is putting out the right amount of food.

Food on the ground should all be eaten before nightfall as rats are attracted to leftover food and often carry diseases, which can affect birds or humans.

If you use a bird-table or hanging feeders make sure that you clean these regularly (ideally, using a 5% disinfectant solution), and move them to a new area every month, that way you will be helping the birds to stay healthy.

Remember to clean them outdoors, wear gloves and use tools that you don’t use for anything else.

Droppings or mouldy food can provide breeding grounds for parasites and bacteria. If large amounts of droppings have accumulated, they should be cleared and burnt and the ground cleansed with a disinfectant.

Droppings can accumulate in bird baths and water containers so rinse these daily, especially during the warmer months, and let them dry out before adding fresh water.

Birds like goldfinches will welcome seed heads left on herbaceous plants through the winter and many birds will be grateful for dense shrubs which provide shelter.

Insects and amphibians as well as birds can be helped if you allow dead wood to rot in a shady spot.

Based on information supplied by Caroline Hughes.