This action’s aim is that over the winter until mid-spring there’s a mix of seeds spread on the ground at multiple feeding areas.
The purpose of this is to provide seed-eating farmland birds with supplementary food when:
- seed is in short supply in the late winter period (known as the hungry gap)
- their breeding season starts in early spring
What you must do
You must spread a winter supplementary feeding mix in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim, including:
- dividing the total weight of mix as equally as possible between the multiple feeding areas
- spreading the mix at least once a week from over the winter until mid-spring in the following year (usually from early December to late April)
You must use a winter supplementary feeding seed mix that contains both:
- cereals (not maize) – these should make up no more than 70% of the total mix by weight
- small non-cereal seeds – these should make up at least 30% of the total mix by weight, with no individual species being more than 50% of the non-cereal element by weight
The small non-cereal seeds element must contain at least 3 of the following species:
- canary seed
- linseed
- oilseed rape
- red millet
- sunflowers
- white millet
If you’re doing this supplemental action on land which is registered as ‘fully organic’ or ‘in conversion’, check with your organic control body whether a derogation is required to use non-organic seed.
You must not:
- use feed hoppers to supply more than around 10% of the seed mix during each feeding period (from later winter to mid-spring)
- use tailings (small seeds and chaff removed from the harvested crops) in the seed mix
You must keep a written ‘feeding diary’ which includes:
- details of the mix used, including the weight of the cereals and small non-cereal seeds elements and cost
- feeding dates
- method of feeding – spreading or hopper
- amount fed
- location of feeding areas
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
If this action’s start date means it’s too late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action’s start date.
In the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action until mid-spring, or this action’s end date, whichever is earlier.
Where you can do it
You can only apply for this action if CAHL2 (winter bird food on arable and horticultural land) is included in the same SFI26 application.
You must do this action on land that’s:
- firm and free draining, such as farm tracks or hard standing areas
- close to areas of existing winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover
Evidence to keep
You must keep the required written feeding diary. This can be recorded on paper or electronically. You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
