For many households, rspb feeding birds feels like a simple act of care. But the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds says that, in warmer months, that same habit can help disease spread instead of helping wildlife. Its new advice is to pause seed and peanut feeders from 1 May to 31 October, and to think more carefully about where food is placed, how often feeders are cleaned, and which foods are safest to leave out.
Why the summer pause matters now
The warning is built around trichomonosis, a parasite that has driven steep declines in greenfinches and chaffinches. The RSPB says warmer weather can turn busy feeders into disease hotspots, because infected birds shed the parasite in saliva and droppings, contaminating food sources as they feed. The charity also says the risk is higher when birds crowd together in one place, especially around feeders that are not cleaned regularly.
That matters because the scale of feeding is large. More than 16 million households are thought to put out food on a regular basis, with an estimated one bird feeder for every nine birds that use them. The industry body UK Pet Food estimates annual spending on bird food at about £380 million, and separate figures suggest that equals more than 150, 000 tonnes a year. In other words, this is not a marginal habit. It is a widespread one, which is why even a small change in behaviour could affect how disease moves through garden bird populations.
What lies beneath the headline?
The most striking part of the advice is not that the RSPB wants people to stop caring for birds, but that it is trying to redirect that care. Its message is to “feed safely and feed seasonally, ” with small amounts of mealworms, fat balls or suet still allowed throughout the year. The charity says these foods are less likely to attract clusters of finches during the warmer months, when the parasite can survive for longer and spread more easily.
The evidence cited is sobering. The greenfinch, once a familiar garden bird, has fallen by two million and is now on the red list of endangered birds. In the Big Garden Birdwatch, the species has dropped from a ranking of seven in 1979 to 18 in 2025. An estimated 6 million greenfinches and chaffinches have died because of the disease in recent years. That makes rspb feeding birds less of a cosy winter tradition and more of a question about how human routines shape disease risk.
The RSPB says hygiene is essential: feeders should be cleaned thoroughly at least once a week and, where possible, moved after each clean so contaminated debris does not build up beneath them. Water should only be provided if it can be changed daily, using fresh tap water, and bird baths should also be cleaned weekly. The charity has also said flat surfaces are higher-risk, which is why it has stopped selling flat feeders and no longer recommends traditional bird tables.
Expert perspective on the new guidance
Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB, said: “Feeding birds is something millions of us love and value, but the science shows us that birds such as greenfinches have been affected by the spread of disease at feeders. We’re not asking people to stop feeding, just to feed in a way that protects birds’ long-term health. By making small changes together, we can ensure garden feeding continues to be a positive force for nature. ”
A spokesperson for the charity added: “The new advice is simple: feed safely and feed seasonally. During the warmer months from 1 May to 31 October, when disease can spread more easily, we are recommending people pause filling bird feeders with seed and peanuts to avoid large numbers of birds gathering in one place. Small amounts of mealworms or fat balls can still be offered safely throughout the year. ”
Regional and wider impact
The implications go beyond one species. If garden feeding remains a year-round default, the RSPB warns that familiar backyard spaces can become points where disease circulates repeatedly. If people shift to seasonal feeding, the pressure on species already under strain could ease, while garden planting such as sunflowers, teasels and ivy can provide natural food and support insects that birds need when feeding chicks.
There is also a broader environmental question. One study estimates that the amount of food put out by Britons could support 196 million garden birds, while another found that feeding birds changes the local phosphorus cycle and may alter biodiversity by favouring some plants over others. That does not mean feeding should stop, but it does suggest the practice has ecological consequences that extend beyond the individual garden. For now, the RSPB is betting that rspb feeding birds can remain a force for good if people accept a seasonal pause—yet how many households will change a long-standing habit when the next warm spell begins?
