Soft Bird Food - Specialist foods for robins, blackbirds and other ground-feeding birds.

Robins feeding in a garden
Notice where different birds prefer to feed
Blackbird searching for food at ground level
Blackbirds often search for food at ground level

Different birds feed in different ways. The food and the feeding place should reflect that.

Food for different feeding habits

Not Every Bird Visits a Hanging Seed Feeder

Robins, blackbirds, wrens, thrushes and other familiar garden birds may search for food on or close to the ground.

Explore prepared softfoods, insect-based foods and specialist blends for suitable dishes, bird tables and carefully managed ground-feeding areas. Choose a food appropriate to the birds visiting and offer only an amount likely to be eaten.

Shop soft bird food Read the softfood guide ↓

A practical buying guide

Choosing and Offering Soft Bird Food

Softfoods provide another way to offer food to birds that may not regularly use hanging seed feeders. Different recipes contain different ingredients, so always check the individual product information before choosing.

Observe where birds naturally search for food and select a feeding position that can be inspected and cleaned regularly.

Robin in a garden setting
Softfoods provide another option for familiar garden visitors

What does softfood mean?

Prepared Foods with Different Textures and Ingredients

“Softfood” describes a varied category of prepared bird foods rather than one single recipe. Depending on the product, a blend may contain cereals, oils, fruit ingredients, insects, mealworms, berries or honey.

These are not necessarily moist foods. Many are supplied as dry, ready-prepared blends and should be stored and offered according to their individual directions.

Compare the softfood range →
01

Suitable Dishes

A shallow, washable dish can make the food easier to contain, inspect and remove after feeding.

02

Bird Tables

A regularly cleaned bird table may suit products intended for table feeding. Avoid allowing old food to accumulate.

03

Managed Ground Feeding

Choose a clean location, offer modest portions and rotate the feeding position where practical.

How you feed matters

Manage Low-Level Feeding Carefully

Food offered on tables, dishes or close to the ground should be monitored carefully. Feed little and often and keep the whole feeding environment clean.

Read how to feed birds properly
  1. 01
    Offer manageable amounts

    Begin with an amount likely to be eaten and adjust it according to what you observe.

  2. 02
    Remove uneaten food

    Clear away old, damp or contaminated food rather than topping it up with fresh food.

  3. 03
    Clean dishes and surfaces

    Wash suitable equipment regularly and allow it to dry before adding fresh food.

  4. 04
    Rotate ground-feeding positions

    Where practical, avoid repeatedly allowing food and waste to build up in one location.

  5. 05
    Provide fresh water

    Keep drinking and bathing water fresh and clean alongside the feeding area.

Explore the range

Choose by Recipe and Feeding Purpose

Ingredients vary considerably across the collection. Review each product description and choose according to the birds visiting, where you intend to feed and what else you already provide.

With suet and mealworms Fat Robin™ A prepared soft bird food containing a mixture of ingredients. View Fat Robin™ → Specialist softfood Golden Chorus™ A prepared blend for suitable ground and table-feeding routines. View Golden Chorus™ → Insectivorous recipe Prosecto™ Specialist insectivorous food for appropriate garden birds. View Prosecto™ → Ground-feeding recipe Songster Food A prepared food intended for suitable ground-feeding birds. View Songster Food →
Prosecto insectivorous food for ground-feeding garden birds
Choose food and feeding locations with the visiting birds in mind

Further reading

Feeding Softfoods to Wild Birds

Explore further guidance on presenting softfoods and incorporating them into a varied garden-feeding routine.

Read the softfood article
What is soft bird food?

Softfood is a broad category of prepared bird food rather than one standard recipe. Individual products may contain cereals, oils, fruit ingredients, insects, mealworms, berries, honey or other selected ingredients.

Many Haith’s softfoods are supplied as dry prepared blends. Check each product description for its ingredients, intended use and feeding directions.

Which birds may eat softfoods?

Softfoods may appeal to robins, blackbirds, wrens, thrushes and other garden birds that search for food on bird tables, in suitable dishes or closer to the ground.

Birds’ preferences vary, so begin with a modest portion and observe which visitors take the food.

Are softfoods wet or moist?

Not necessarily. The term describes a category of prepared food, and many Haith’s softfoods are supplied dry. Do not assume that every product should be moistened.

Follow the directions on the individual product and avoid adding water unless the instructions say that it is appropriate.

Where should I offer soft bird food?

Depending on the product, softfood can be offered in a suitable washable dish, on a regularly cleaned bird table, in a specialist feeder or in a carefully managed ground-feeding area.

Choose somewhere you can inspect easily and clean regularly. Follow the directions provided for the food and feeding equipment.

How much softfood should I put out?

There is no single quantity for every garden. Begin with a small amount, observe how quickly it is eaten and adjust future portions accordingly.

Feeding little and often helps prevent old or uneaten food accumulating in the feeding area.

Can softfood replace bird seed?

Different garden birds favour different foods, and no single feeding approach will suit every species. Softfood provides another option alongside appropriate seed mixes, insect-based foods, suet and other garden bird foods.

Offering suitable variety can accommodate birds with different feeding preferences.

How should soft bird food be stored?

Follow the storage directions on the packaging. As a general principle, keep dry bird food securely closed in a cool, dry place and protect it from moisture, pests and contamination.

Do not offer food that appears damp, mouldy, stale or otherwise unsuitable.

How do I keep a ground-feeding area clean?

Offer manageable amounts, remove uneaten food and clear away waste regularly. Use washable dishes or trays where practical, and rotate ground-feeding positions to avoid repeated build-up in one place.

If you see birds showing signs of illness, pause feeding in the affected area, clean the equipment and follow appropriate bird-health guidance.

Read the responsible-feeding guide →

Continue exploring

Other Ways to Feed

Softfood is one part of a wider garden-feeding range. Explore insect-based foods, seed mixes and suitable equipment for the visitors using your feeding area.