Supplementary winter bird food (updated for SFI26)

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.

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.

SFI26 actions v2.0, updated 7 July 2026 — verified 1 Aug 2026. Open official guidance