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Gardening for birds

Sharing our outdoor spaces with birds brings us joy, improves wellbeing and helps to provide them with the habitat and resources they need to thrive. It’s easy to create a haven for birds, whether your garden is small or large. Our expert scientists and horticulturists share all you need to know

Quick tips for helping birds


  • Plant berrying shrubs for an autumn and winter feast and hedges for shelter and nesting sites
  • Provide clean water all year round
  • Ensure any bird feeders are cleaned regularly to prevent spread of disease

    • Put up a or to help these declining Red List species
    • Leave seedheads standing for as long as possible to provide seeds and insects
    • Avoid using any pesticides in the garden

Bird news

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

How can we all help to protect biodiversity?

Help blackbirds as new virus threatens to decimate numbers

Usutu virus: here’s what you can do to help

Gardens are frontline in protecting biodiversity in face of climate change

UK’s unsung powerhouses of biodiversity

What is biodiversity, and why is it important?

How can we all help to protect biodiversity?

Help blackbirds as new virus threatens to decimate numbers

Usutu virus: here’s what you can do to help

Gardens are frontline in protecting biodiversity in face of climate change

UK’s unsung powerhouses of biodiversity

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Planting for and supporting birds
Find out who’s who

What’s that bird? Learn to recognise some of the most common visitors to your garden, along with fascinating facts that will have you seeing them in a whole new light.

How many do you recognise?

Expert advice

How to create bird habitats

Tales from the Gardens

What are our horticulturists doing for birds? Easy things to try at home

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes – and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.”– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

Bird boxes, RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes â€“ and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.â€

– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes – and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.”– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

Bird boxes, RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes â€“ and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.â€

– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes – and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.”– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

Bird boxes, RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes â€“ and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.â€

– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes – and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.”– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

Bird boxes, RHS Bridgewater

“We’ve boosted habitat throughout the Garden with purpose-built structures. We’ve made or installed a range of bird boxes â€“ and we’ve had kestrels nesting in a barn owl box, a barn owl roosting in the kestrel box, and two broods of swallows. We made nine hedgehog boxes, installed across the Garden, and have bat boxes, log piles and habitat towers made from prunings.â€

– James Hall, horticultural team leader at RHS Bridgewater

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Design inspiration

The SongBird Survival Garden

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

The RSPB and RHS Swift Garden

RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2025

Wildlife garden by Jo Thompson

RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival 2023

Shop for birds at RHS Plants

Cream bird bath on stand

An elegant, bird-friendly focal point

Swift nesting box

Help swifts with a box under the eaves

Green glazed ceramic bird bath

Provide a lifeline for wildlife

Cream bird bath on stand

An elegant, bird-friendly focal point

Swift nesting box

Help swifts with a box under the eaves

Green glazed ceramic bird bath

Provide a lifeline for wildlife

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Wild 91µ¼º½ Gardens newsletter

Stay up to date with our monthly email newsletter full of expert tips to support wildlife in your patch and the latest wildlife gardening news.

More on garden wildlife

Greener ways to garden

Peat-free gardening

Why go peat-free, and top tips for success with peat-free gardening or growing

Gardening for the environment

How to look after soil, plant for the environment, prevent pollution and more

Managing water in your garden

Advice on coping with water shortages and extreme rainfall, storing water and using it wisely

Science in everything we do

Get involved

The RHS is the UK’s gardening charity, helping people and plants to grow - nurturing a healthier, happier world, one person and one plant at a time.