Monty Don says birds will flock to your garden if 3 foods are left out

During the autumn and winter months when the weather starts to cool down, there are plenty of gardening jobs that can take a bit of a backseat until the spring. However, there's one that becomes more important than ever.

Feeding birds and leaving them out fresh water to drink will help to provide them with much-needed energy and nutrition, which they need a lot more at this time of the year. And you don't need to invest in pricey specialist feeds or intricate feeding systems either. According to gardening expert Monty Don, three common leftovers can work wonders for our feathered friends.

In his November edition of his popular newsletter last year, Monty informed gardeners all about how to feed birds in the winter so that they keep coming back again and again.

He wrote: "I would say that one of the things I most enjoy about winter is watching the birds feed at the table outside our kitchen window. It may not have the glamour of going on safari or a trip to the Galapagos - but it is just as rewarding and right on every gardener's doorstep."

What to feed your garden birds

Natural food sources are more scarce during autumn and winter, which is why leaving out some scraps can be a massive help. According to Monty, the more calorific, the better, as this will provide birds with that much-needed energy boost.

He says that leftover pastry, bread and rice are great options, as these will 'always get eaten fast'. However, make sure not to leave out anything that's too high in salt or sugar, as this could end up being harmful or attracting other pests to your garden.

While bread shouldn't be left out in large quantities, a couple of leftover pieces or crusts should be fine. The experts at Bird Spot say that it does not offer much nutritional value, but birds will use it to supplement other parts of their diet, which is why it can help to leave out other things such as seeds and plain nuts.

If you want to prevent pigeons and other pests from stealing the food, you can log with lots of cracks and crevices and pour seed over it. The smaller birds will extract every last bit from the fissures that bigger ones cannot reach

And it's not just food that you should consider. They also need to drink, so make sure there's a supply of fresh water in your garden for birds at all times.