Business in the ‘bird care’ industry is booming thanks to enthusiastic householders buying extravagant birdhouses, gourmet birdfood and sumptuous nesting material in a bid to lure the feathered friends into their gardens.
Britons are forking out millions of pounds a year on these luxurious materials – so birds can use them to build nests.
It means the industry is now worth a recession-defying £200million a year – even though experts say most of the paraphernalia is entirely unnecessary as birds are happiest with a ‘bog standard’ nest box and a few scraps of food.
However people a still buying expensive products like…. a blend of oats, peanut granules, sunflower hearts, suet, apple and sultana topped with rowan berries is aimed at blackbirds and thrushes, while the mix for robins and tits contains a less appetising ingredient: crushed insects.
Both cost about £37 for a 55lb bag.
Jeff Baker, from the British Trust for Ornithology research charity, said: ‘Because it is now big business there is a competitive element and everyone is looking for the next thing.
The latest bird food to hit the shelves is sultanas,’ said Mr Baker. ‘They are packaged as bird food so they are more expensive than ordinary sultanas in the supermarket, but they are the same.’
2 comments:
Well, that just proves what a swizz it all is, doesn't it?
The birds round here just get bread I'm afraid, our cat eats the rest.
My cats will not eat the bread...but we have recently had some Red Kites coming around the gardens. I throw out old chicken skins which they swoop down and pick up in their claws....the problem I have is the cats DO eat chicken skins.
Sorry to hear you have a cold....so have I.....hope you are better soon.
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