Winter is often a tough time for wildlife. As we pack our shopping trolleys for winter feasts and hunker down with our slippers, we also need to spare a thought for the wildlife in our back gardens and find ways to help them through this difficult time. In winter, food is scarce, the days are shorter, and the temperature drops significantly. Many animals rely on their fat reserves to make it through, but some just can’t survive without a little help from us. Taking care of wildlife during winter doesn’t just help them survive harsh conditions, it also sets them up for successful reproduction when spring eventually rolls around. A healthy winter means healthier animals, and healthier animals can produce more offspring. This contributes significantly to maintaining a stable and vibrant local wildlife population that we’ve come to love and enjoy in the warmer months. Lending a helping hand doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming so read on to find some simple ways to look after wildlife in winter.
Practical Ways to Support Wildlife During Winter
One of the first things to do is to understand the wildlife that visits your garden. I live in Surrey in the UK and get hedgehogs, foxes, occasional badgers and lots of native and visiting birds. We also have lots of small mammals such as mice and voles. Other friends in other parts of the world often send me photos of deer, pheasants, turkeys and all manner of furry friends, depending on where they live.
All wildlife needs 3 main things in winter to keep them going, and these are food, water and shelter. Here are some simple and practical ways to look after your wildlife in winter this year.
Food
- Hanging bird feeders: Fill feeders with high-energy foods like sunflower seeds, peanuts, fat balls and suet. It’s fun to make your own suet balls and you can find lots of recipes on the internet such as this one from the RSPB. This is a great activity for children to introduce them to helping nature
- Ground feeders: Not all birds feed from hanging feeds. Birds like robins, thrushes and blackbirds are ground-feeding birds so scatter seeds on the ground for these little ones
- Nutritious options for small mammals: Leave out foods like nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and mealworms. Hedgehogs like cat food too
- Avoid Bread and Milk: These can be harmful to small mammals and clear away Halloween pumpkins for the same reason
- Sand or grit: Provide a small dish of sand or grit to help birds with digestion
- Gaps in fences: Leave or create small gaps at the bottom of fences to allow easy movement between gardens for small mammals to find their own food
Supply Water:
- Bird baths: Keep a bird bath filled with fresh water and be aware that this can easily freeze when the temperature drops. Refill regularly and try to site it in a place that will not freeze too easily, or that is protected from the worst of the frost. You could even consider using a small outdoor heater to prevent it from freezing when the weather is really bad
- Ground water: Ensure there’s always fresh, unfrozen water available. Use shallow dishes to prevent drowning and be careful with garden ponds – make sure there is always a way for mammals to climb out such as placing a log in the pond that they can use to climb up to the bank
- Change water frequently: Replace water regularly to ensure it’s clean (also reminds you to check it’s not frozen)
Offer Shelter:
- Bird nesting boxes: Put up birdhouses or nest boxes to provide shelter from harsh weather. Depending on the birds you want to attract/help, make sure you use boxes with the appropriate entrance size and site the boxes according to where the birds like to nest. Robins need a larger entrance hole than blue tits for example, and they like to have a clear path to their entrance. Boxes should be positioned out of the prevailing winds and at a height where they are safe from predators
- Native plants: Plant shrubs and trees that produce berries and seeds, like holly or hawthorn and leave the seed heads on flowers like sunflowers and coneflowers for birds to eat during winter
- Leaf Piles and Logs: Leave piles of leaves, logs, and branches where mammals can find refuge
- Bat boxes: Make or buy bat boxes to help these little friends – in the UK, a lot of our bats are on the endangered list due to habitat loss
- Hedgehog Houses: Build or buy hedgehog houses for extra protection against the cold
- Bug hotels: Build or buy an insect hotel to help insects and bees survive the winter. This is another great creative activity to do with children and they can be as simple or elaborate as you like
- Compost heaps: Compost heaps can provide warmth and food sources for small mammals
- Straw or hay: Place straw or hay in sheltered areas for mammals to use as bedding
Other general things to consider in wildlife gardening
Regular cleaning: Clean all feeders regularly to prevent the spread of diseases.
No pesticides: Avoid using pesticides and chemicals in your garden as they can harm birds and small animals.
Untouched spaces: Allow some parts of your garden to grow wild, creating a sanctuary for wildlife, birds, plants and native species.
Reduce light pollution: Minimise the use of outdoor lights to help nocturnal wildlife. If you can’t survive with your outdoor lights, put them on a timer so they are off for a good portion of the night.
Educate and involve others: Encourage your children and tell your neighbours what you are doing to help your local wildlife. If there are enough people in your community willing to help, then the wildlife in your area will stand a great chance of getting through winter.
Make friends with your local wildlife charities: Sometimes, despite your best efforts, wildlife needs expert help to survive and it’s a good idea to get to know your local wildlife charity so that you know where to take animals in distress if you find them. Near where I live, there is a wonderful wildlife charity called Wildlife Aid and my daughters and I have taken several birds and small mammals there to be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. They do a wonderful job and also have many volunteers to help them so there may be somewhere similar where you live. You could even volunteer if you have some time on your hands too.
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This is such an important and thoughtful discussion! Supporting wildlife during winter not only helps animals survive the cold months but also ensures a thriving ecosystem come spring. I love how simple actions, like providing food, water, and shelter, can make a significant difference. The practical tips shared here, from hanging bird feeders to building hedgehog houses, are easy to implement and a great way to get the whole family involved in nature care. Let’s spread the word and encourage others to create wildlife-friendly gardens—every little bit helps!
Thanks Herman. I’m really pleased that you like the post as I’m passionate about helping our little friends and really do agree that we need everyone to do a little bit. I love the hedgehogs that are in our garden and hope they are surviving well in the cold weather. Sometimes we find them curled up on our porch! We also have bats so I may add a bit about bat boxes too. The ecosystem relies on everything from bats to insects to foxes so I’m very happy to help where I can.
Fantastic tips! Looking after wildlife in winter is something we can all contribute to, even in small ways. Providing food, fresh water, and shelter can make a huge difference for animals during the colder months. I especially appreciate the advice on leaving out water in shallow bowls to prevent freezing. It’s a great reminder of how our little actions can help support local wildlife through tough seasons. Thanks for sharing these practical and thoughtful ideas!
Thanks Andrew. I’m glad you like the post and I know you’ll be looking after the animals where you live. That’s all it takes, a few individuals can make a big difference. All the best. Gail