Gardeners urged to put hot sauce or chilli on bird feeders 'as soon as possible'

Gardeners are being urged to put tabasco or hot sauce on their bird feeders as soon as they can this autumn to help feed hungry birds that need food this September.

The late summer and early autumn represent months of change in our gardens, as several species of birds leave the UK for sunnier climes, while others who skipped the British summer return home for the winter instead, and others like the robin are a perennial presence that don't migrate at all.

Unfortunately, food can be much harder to come by for birds in the autumn. Thanks to a huge reduction in insect populations, which are down as much as 60 percent in the past 20 years according to studies, birds have far less to eat than they used to, putting them at real risk of starvation, and in the cooler months the insect populations begin to drop off anyway, as do the fruits that birds often fall back on.

That's why gardeners are being asked to do what they can to make a difference and leave food out for birds.

Birds love all sorts of food left out for them, including custom bird food mixes like mealworms, as well as household items like sultanas, raisins, oats, sunflower seeds and various other nuts and seeds.

The problem with putting food out on bird feeders, though, is that squirrels and even rats will try to steal it.

Grey squirrels are a huge problem for birds. They are invasive, having driven out British red squirrels in most of the UK. They eat birds' eggs, they damage trees and dig up planted bulbs as well as eat food left out for birds.

So, if you have a bird feeder or bird bath, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds suggests that gardeners use something spicy, like Tabasco or chilli powder flakes, to flavour the food.

The RSPB says: "Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and blackbirds. Household scraps like pastry, cooked rice and breadcrumbs should only be offered in small amounts occasionally.

"Strong chilli powder or pepper sauce (like Tabasco) can be shaken onto bird food. Birds aren't bothered by the chilli, but most squirrels can't put up with the burning sensation and will leave the food alone."