Food on the ground should be avoided at all costs!

-Nah, food ends up on the ground anyway, and everyone knows it attracts a lot of birds. So let go of your inhibitions and embrace your inner dreams of ground feeding! Most birds love to walk on the ground when they eat, and quite a few actually require it to even approach your feeding area. It's become somewhat of a thing to feel ashamed about food on the ground - you read everywhere that it's unhygienic, but that's not the case if you do it correctly. Moreover, you attract many more birds through ground feeding than with other methods, and no gadgets are needed. It applies to both more individuals and more species - including the yellowhammer, which we at Slåttergubben particularly care about! Ground feeding is great if you have the opportunity and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of!

As a little anecdote, we can tell you about the northern European white storks - a beautiful bird that in the summer depends on an agricultural landscape with high biological diversity, meadows, pastures, and wetlands. A kind of umbrella species for diversity in agriculture. Long ago, they mostly overwintered south of the Sahara on vast savannas and wetlands. Today, those environments have shrunk, and many now overwinter at landfills in Spain and France where they eat... yes, exactly... rotten food from the ground among the garbage. And they apparently manage quite well on that. 

Almost all of us experience an involuntary ground feeding. Beneath the bird feeders, there's a small pile of spilled food where most birds actually come to eat. We loudly complain about nuthatches and sparrows that scatter the food, but secretly thank them with a bit of guilt because they attract many more birds to the feeding area by creating this small ground feeding spot. It's quite funny because the feeder tubes, which are so popular, are sold with the claim that they are hygienic since birds can't sit in the food and poop. In practice, however, this is exactly what happens, but underneath the feeders in a small area. "Proper" ground feeding involves spreading food over larger areas—to make it more hygienic and to attract even more birds. You don't even need to own a bird feeder. However, it might be a good complement to offer fatty seeds in addition to field seeds in abundance on the ground. On large areas, many birds can have their own little spot in a bird feeding area, resulting in fewer aggressive interactions compared to when there are only four perches on a feed tube, for example. You can compare this to a group of horses that get along well in a large pasture—but when the same amount of feed is concentrated in a hay bale, suddenly one individual starts guarding the bale against the others, leading to increased injury risks and higher stress levels for everyone involved.

Wild birds move over large areas and only spend part of their time at bird feeders. The most natural bird feeding is when we cultivate crops that birds can benefit from. Many of the seeds end up on the ground, so ground feeding is not unnatural in itself. 

Ground feeding isn't suitable for everyone; we'll return to this later. First, let's hear from Janne, who runs Slåttergubben, about his own ground feeding.

“We live on a farm in the agricultural region of Östergötland. There are no neighbors who care about how I feed my birds. If possible, I think one should avoid bird feeders made from plastic gadgets and complicated setups. I have an area outside my office window on the lawn, about 8x8 meters, for ground feeding. No bird feeder at all. On the same area, I have a small manure pile about 2x2 meters - a pile where I put some straw and hay in winter just to mimic the old-fashioned manure heaps. It's a trick to attract even more yellowhammers as they notice something sticking out in the snowy landscape. In summer, this pile is left alone and usually becomes a motley mixture of plants. I consider it my summer feeding - an insect factory. Every day in winter, I spread 1-4 kg of field seeds (depending on how cold it is) from Lunden and a bit of rapeseed on the area. In the nearest tree, I hang up some suet. Some years, I've even fed on a larger scale and spread seeds on the median strip of the avenue that is plowed up to the farm. The record is 300 yellowhammers! Living rurally out in the plains, I mostly have agricultural birds that are satisfied with field seeds and a bit of rapeseed. Sometimes there are 70 jackdaws and a few crows; the next moment, it's the turn of the small birds.

If it's cold, the feeding is dominated by about 100 yellowhammers, which is my favorite bird for three reasons. First, it abandons the feeding with free access to food as soon as the ground is clear and it's mild - then they fly out to the fields and proudly say, “now we'll manage on what we find in nature.” I like that attitude. Second, it eats only Swedish cheap field seeds (grains) and requires ground feeding - yellowhammers never go up into bird feeders. This is partly why so many people report no longer seeing yellowhammers at feeders; they've heard that grains like oats are bad and that ground feeding is harmful. Third, the yellowhammer is a species that's declining, partly because its breeding habitats (often natural pastures) are decreasing, but possibly also due to harsher winters. In the past, they overwintered on all the tens of thousands of small farms where it was natural for the landscape to have a lot of threshing waste, hay waste, open manure heaps, fodder spills, horse droppings, etc., without anyone thinking of bird feeding. Virtually all of that is gone now, and if we can offer something that resembles those conditions for the yellowhammers, that's good!

If it's cold, the feeding is dominated by around 100 yellowhammers, which is my favorite bird for three reasons. Firstly, it leaves the feeders with free access to food as soon as the ground is bare and the weather is mild—they fly out to the fields and seem to proudly declare “now we will manage on our own with what is available in nature.” I like that attitude. Secondly, they only eat cheap Swedish field seeds (grain) and require ground feeding—yellowhammers never go up to bird feeders, which is partly why many people report not seeing them at the feeders anymore. They've been told that grain and oats are bad and that ground feeding is bad. Thirdly, the yellowhammer is a species in decline, partly because its breeding habitats (often natural pasturelands) are decreasing, but possibly also due to more challenging winters. In the past, they used to winter on the tens of thousands of small farms with plenty of threshing residue, hay spills, open manure heaps, feed spills, horse droppings, etc., that naturally existed in the landscape without anyone thinking about bird feeding. Essentially all of that is gone now, and if we can offer something that resembles those conditions for the yellowhammers, that would be great!

Then a lot of house sparrows and tree sparrows come to the ground feeding area. They also thrive on Swedish grain and enjoy eating from the ground. However, unlike the yellowhammer, they love fatty imported seeds—if they get the chance. Then comes a chaffinch, a brambling, some blackbirds, blue tits, and great tits that manage just fine on just farm seeds. Sometimes we have large flocks of redpolls and occasional twites—they prefer canola the most. Occasionally, there have been some greenfinches on the canola, but they usually move on to a place with sunflowers. Even the partridges occasionally show up at the ground feeding area. Since the feeding is conducted over a large area, the birds are spread out in a more natural way, and it doesn’t look very messy even by spring. I never clean the ground—it’s completely pointless to try. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sick bird here at my feeding spot. Neighbors have a cat, but since the ground feeding area is open, it’s hopelessly difficult for it to lie in wait somewhere. The yellowhammers much prefer open areas over staying within shrubbery. I usually start feeding in November or December when the first snow comes with the cold. And I stop sometime in early April. The grass grows really dark green and lush in this area, and I usually mow it often to use as green manure for the crops. Both uneaten seeds and bird droppings provide a long-term fertilizing effect. Sure, some weed seeds like cleavers, goosefoot, and some dock grow, but if you just mow often, they’re not a problem as long as they don’t go to seed—and they won’t if you keep on top of them.”

Where is a ground feeding station suitable? 
A ground feeding station works best in agricultural areas where species like tree sparrows, house sparrows, and yellowhammers are the most common visitors. If you don't have yellowhammers, you can often attract them to your area. They prefer open spaces but are also common at large established feeding stations in more enclosed surroundings. A trick to attract yellowhammers is to place some hay, straw, horse manure, or leaves in a pile near the ground feeding station. This acts like a beacon to flying birds - signaling there's something here! Yellowhammers move around a lot when snow and cold weather arrive. It's heartening to hear stories from those who've successfully attracted flocks of yellowhammers using this method. With a bit of patience, you can succeed even if you live deep in the forest - you just need to attract the first few birds flying over!

Are all seeds suitable for the ground?
The best seeds for the ground are field seeds, ideally combined with some rapeseed and maybe a bit of crushed sunflower. Our mix "Country Life" is designed for such a versatile ground feeding station. Alternatively, you can use pure field seeds from Lunden. Field seeds are the cheapest option - additionally, they are a Swedish-grown by-product and contain what yellowhammers need. Many birds are satisfied with field seeds, so it's best to have them on the ground and more expensive fatty seeds separately in a bird feeder. This way, you get the most value for your money. For example, if you only have sunflower seeds in the feeder, the birds' "scattering tendency" is reduced. The wetter and stickier the weather, the less suitable seeds like shelled and crushed sunflower kernels are on the ground, as they quickly become sticky and mushy.

Where should I feed on the ground?
Place it where you have a good view of the birds—we want to see them! Ideally on an open lawn or an already cleared area like a road. The more open the surroundings, the safer it is for birds from cats while they are on the ground. Of course, you can also scatter seeds under bushes and along hedges. Feeding on a lawn is not a problem; it will just become slightly more fertilized. If you're worried about weeds, avoid feeding in planting beds and perennial borders with field seeds. However, crushed sunflower kernels are perfect since they don’t sprout. Sometimes snow can be problematic, so it's wise to feed on an area that is already being cleared regularly—such as a lightly trafficked road, pathway, or driveway. 

Obstacles for Ground Feeding
Most barriers are ones we've placed in our own minds. But there are a few others..

Deer and Roe Deer
- Some people experience issues with them coming and eating everything on the ground at night, leading to excessive food usage. It's important to note that if you have deer, they can be remarkably destructive by butting and breaking feeders.

Dogs
- who love to lick bird food and are not allowed to do so (for some reason).

Complaining Neighbors and Fear of Mice and Rats
- Sometimes you just have to give up. Living in a densely populated area might mean there are regulations and neighbors that truly prevent bird feeding. If you're going to feed birds at all, you need to adapt your methods so that as little as possible ends up on the ground. In such cases, aids like tube feeders and catch trays are excellent. As well as shelled sunflower seeds that don’t create litter. Often, the fear of mice and rodents is exaggerated. Indoors, we can all agree that they are pests, and there are good mouse traps available. However, outdoors, they are as rightful a part of the ecosystem as birds are. They are also critical bird food for owls and many birds of prey. So we should take care of and be proud of the rodents! More about them in myth number 17.

Fear of Hygiene and Infections
- we have thoroughly debunked in myth number 6.
Snow, Ice, and Rain.
This is both an obstacle and an opportunity. If it snows heavily and often, it can be annoying when seeds just disappear. On the other hand, seeds rest loosely, visibly, and nicely if it's below freezing for a long time and the ground is hard. It’s always good to keep the ground moderately clear at a feeding site; anything that stands out from the pure white attracts passing birds. Seeds lying in snow that you shovel away end up in piles and emerge when it thaws. The problem of seeds freezing into ice during alternating thaw and freeze conditions is hard to avoid. However, they do reappear when it thaws significantly. 

Our desire for order and tidiness in the garden can cause problems in various ways. We also live in a world where companies want to sell products for everything, and you likely see a lot of that marketing. However, it is infinitely more important to work on the overall environment than to buy hedgehog homes, bumblebee nests, bird feeders, etc. In a very tidy garden without decaying wood, leaf piles, tall grass, or lush flowers, it can be difficult for insects, amphibians, etc., to thrive. They are an important part of the natural bird food supply. Birds benefit from us not being too meticulous and cleaning everywhere; feel free to extend this to your bird feeding area as well! Bird droppings are not normally infectious—we don't need to burn the bird-pooped lawn with a flamethrower in the spring out of fear of contamination. Just let it be and observe how it grows lushly!