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The RSPB’s seasonal guidance says seeds and nuts can be offered to garden birds from Nov. 1 through April 30, after a spring and summer pause intended to reduce trichomonosis risk. The charity says the risk is lower in colder months, not absent, and advises measured feeding, weekly feeder cleaning and daily fresh water for bird baths.
The RSPB says people can feed garden birds seeds and nuts from Nov. 1 through April 30, after advising a pause during the warmer months to help reduce the spread of trichomonosis. The charity says disease risk is lower in colder weather, but continues to recommend careful feeding and regular cleaning of feeders and water sources.
The seasonal advice follows an earlier RSPB request to stop putting out seeds and peanuts between May 1 and Oct. 31. The charity says the pause was intended to reduce the risk of trichomonosis spreading while warmer conditions make transmission more likely. Its current guidance permits nuts and seeds during the colder period, when natural food sources are scarcer and birds may benefit from supplementary food.
RSPB Wildlife Expert Charlotte Ambrose said greenfinches are particularly affected by the disease and that seeds are among their preferred foods. The advice is not a claim that winter feeding is risk-free: Ambrose said the risk remains and that feeding safely throughout the year is important. She recommends putting out only an amount likely to be eaten within a day or two, with suet treated as an exception because it generally takes longer to consume.
The RSPB advises people to use well-ventilated feeders that limit rainwater, and to empty, dismantle and clean them with soapy water and disinfectant at least once a week. Uneaten food should be cleared from the ground, and cleaned feeders can be moved between locations. The charity also recommends avoiding flat feeding surfaces, including bird tables, window feeders and trays beneath hanging feeders, which it says its research has linked with a greater likelihood of disease spread.
How Winter Feeding Can Limit Risk
The guidance gives people who feed garden birds a practical way to respond to changing seasonal risks: seeds and nuts are permitted in winter, but food should not be left out without attention to hygiene. Trichomonosis can make swallowing difficult and may be fatal, so contaminated food, feeders or water can have serious consequences for affected birds.
For households, the advice changes both what can be offered and how feeding areas should be maintained. Smaller portions reduce the amount left to become damp or contaminated, while regular cleaning and removing leftovers help limit potential routes of transmission. The RSPB’s position is that lower winter risk is not the same as no risk.
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The Seasonal Feeding Guidance
Earlier in the year, the RSPB asked the public to pause feeding seeds and peanuts from May 1 to Oct. 31, citing concern about trichomonosis during warmer months. The charity’s latest guidance sets out the complementary winter period, Nov. 1 to April 30, when nuts and seeds may be offered again.
Trichomonosis is caused by a parasite that affects a bird’s throat and upper digestive tract. Green Feathers bird expert James Ewens told Ideal Home that it can spread through saliva and contaminated food, including food on feeders or the ground. He also said the parasite can survive in water, making bird baths another part of feeding hygiene. These explanations and recommendations are reported by Ideal Home; the RSPB’s advice remains the main basis for the seasonal feeding dates.
“Over the colder months, there is a lower risk of the disease surviving and spreading.”
— Charlotte Ambrose, RSPB Wildlife Expert
Winter Risk Is Lower, Not Gone
The advice does not quantify how much the risk of trichomonosis falls in winter, nor does the source material provide a forecast for disease levels during the current feeding period. The seasonal dates are clear, but the level of risk at any particular site is not specified. The RSPB says precautions should continue year-round.
Ideal Home also reports that the 2026 Big Garden Birdwatch found average greenfinch numbers were down 67% compared with the count’s 1979 start, attributing the decline largely to disease. That comparison is presented in the report, but the supplied material does not include the underlying survey data or establish what share of the decline is due to trichomonosis. The figure should not be read as a measure of current disease prevalence.
Keep Feeding Areas Clean
People choosing to feed birds can follow the winter dates while keeping up the RSPB’s hygiene measures: offer modest portions, remove uneaten food, and clean feeders at least weekly. Bird baths should be emptied and refilled daily with fresh water and cleaned weekly with warm soapy water and disinfectant, according to the advice quoted by Ideal Home.
The seasonal guidance runs through April 30; the requested pause on seeds and peanuts resumes May 1 under the dates given in the report. The RSPB’s advice is the current development described here. The source material does not say whether the charity plans further changes or when it might issue another update.
Key Questions
Can I feed birds seeds and nuts in November?
Yes. The RSPB guidance reported by Ideal Home allows seeds and nuts from Nov. 1 through April 30. The charity says the risk of trichomonosis is lower in colder months, but not eliminated.
Why did the RSPB ask people to pause feeding seeds and peanuts?
The RSPB asked people to stop offering them from May 1 to Oct. 31 to help reduce the spread of trichomonosis, a disease that can affect birds’ ability to swallow and may be fatal.
How often should bird feeders be cleaned?
The RSPB advises emptying and dismantling feeders and cleaning them with soapy water and disinfectant at least once a week. People should also clear uneaten food from the ground.
What should I do if I provide a bird bath?
Empty and refill it with fresh water daily, and clean it weekly with warm soapy water and disinfectant, according to the advice reported by Ideal Home.
Does winter feeding remove the risk of disease?
No. The RSPB says risk is lower in colder weather but still present. It recommends safe feeding practices and good hygiene throughout the year.
Source: idealhome.co.uk
