As Drought Grips Britain, Garden Birds Are Going Hungry, Here's How to Help

The Government has now declared more areas of England to be in drought, with rivers, reservoirs and groundwater levels continuing to fall. Why hard ground means hungry birdsHard soil is a genuine problem for insect-eating birds, and Robins are a textbook example. In normal conditions they probe soft soil and leaf litter for earthworms, beetle larvae, leatherjackets and other invertebrates. The Government’s own drought assessment has warned that impacts on breeding birds this year could affect populations for years to come, since fewer surviving young means fewer birds to breed in future seasons. Sources: GOV.UK drought update (August 2026); Met Office; RSPB “Feed Safely, Feed Seasonally” guidance (July 2026); wildlife commentary on the 2026 drought’s impact on garden birds.