Give the birds in your garden a helping hand this winter with the RSPB’s top 10 bird feeding tips:

1) Know your birds – different species eat different things. Sparrows and finches like seeds, tits like fat, thrushes and robins like fruit and worms, and starlings will eat just about anything.

2) Look out for leftovers – some of our own food can be good for birds e.g. fruit cake, mince pies, dried fruit and unsalted nuts.

3) But choose the right stuff – avoid turkey fat or anything mouldy or salty (too much salt is poisonous to small birds), see a selection of our wild bird feed below.

4) Don’t poison your pets – birds love dried fruit but keep grapes, currants, raisins and sultanas out of reach of your pet dog as vine fruits can be toxic to them.

5) Keep water in bird baths and ponds unfrozen – Birds need to drink and bathe every day. Get yourself a bird bath or fill up an upturned bin lid or plant saucer.

6) Put out the right amount of food – Only put out what will get eaten during the day to avoid food going mouldy and the arrival of unwanted visitors such as rats.

7) Keep it clean – dirty bird feeders and bird tables can spread disease. Keep them clean and always wash your hands after feeding the birds.

8) Location, location, location – Keep your table or feeder somewhere quiet, sheltered, safe and open.

9) Enjoy – Take a moment to enjoy the happy birds feasting on the food you’ve provided.

10) Give yourself a pat on the back for giving nature a home – By feeding the birds you’ll help them through a tough time of the year.