DIY Bird Enthusiast: How to Protect Your Birds from Bullies

We often receive photos from Haith's customers, but these made us stop in our tracks. You won't believe what this is.

Mrs Price's bird feeders have been 'bombarded by the corvid family' for several years, and she couldn't find a successful way to prevent them from scoffing all the seeds in a single sitting meaning the smaller birds didn't stand a chance of feeding. The corvids would appear on masse from a nearby wood and empty a feeder in no time at all bullying the smaller birds off the bird feeder.

Here's how Mrs Price did it:

The little birds were extraordinarily bright, and it took them no time at all to work it out.

The other one with a matching top which you clip together has a small container inside which was a bit fiddly to put together, with a plastic dome over the top that took a bit of working out, to be honest.

The feeder in the middle is a candle holder which was a bronze colour which does fade after a while

It has taken me a few years of trying to come up with a solution, but it now works, and I can sit back and enjoy watching the little birds tucking into their delicious food.

The tools used were pliers, wire and patience oh and fingers!

After years of DIY experimentation, Mrs Price 'finally nailed it' when she managed to construct a corvid free zone out of a hanging flower basket and, in her own words, a 'very cheap plastic container.' It's taken years, but Mrs Price is thrilled to bits that she has finally found a way in which to stop them feeding and to give the little birds a chance.

"It's taken me a few years of getting mad and trying to come up with a solution," explains the triumphant birder whose house is on the banks of the River Usk. "The bit of trellis supporting the other peanuts, the one in the middle is a candle holder, from TK Maxx in a bronze colour which fades after a while but could be painted green. It's not rocket science, but it's worth every halfpenny to protect my darling little birds."

"Time wasn't an issue as such as I am 80 in September, but to watch the big birds eyeing up a way [into the corvid-free zone] has been fascinating."

Of course, not all of Mrs Price's attempts have been successful. "I've even been known to put a green umbrella up over them," she explains.

Isn't this a great reminder how much effort Haith's customers go to care for Britain's beautiful garden birds?

Written by Angela and Chris