Start with your garden, not the bird table

Before you buy anything, spend a fortnight simply watching what already happens in your garden. Which birds turn up, and where do they land? A blue tit or goldfinch will happily use a hanging feeder, but robins, dunnocks and blackbirds tend to shuffle about on the ground and often ignore anything swinging in the breeze. A bird table bridges that gap, giving you a flat, steady surface that suits a wider range of species than a feeder alone.

Take note of the space you can spare, too. A table needs a clear metre or so around it so birds have a landing approach and a chance to spot trouble. If your garden is tiny, a wall-mounted or bracket-fixed table does the job without eating into your borders. If it's large and open, a freestanding table with a decent roof will quickly become the busiest spot on the property.

Size, height and stability

The surface area matters more than the overall height. A tray of roughly 40–50cm across is the sweet spot: big enough for half a dozen birds to feed without squabbling, small enough that leftover food doesn't sit around going mouldy. Anything much larger tends to collect rain and waste.

Height is about protection. Aim for the tabletop to sit around 1.2–1.5m from the ground. That's high enough to give feeding birds a warning of approaching cats, but low enough that you can reach it easily for cleaning and refilling.

Stability is where cheap tables let you down. Look for:

• A wide base plate or ground spike, ideally with the option to peg or weight it down
• A post of at least 5cm square, or a metal pole with a proper socket
• Cross-bracing or a second post if the table is broad or exposed to wind

A table that wobbles will empty whenever it's breezy, and a spilled tray means food on the ground, which brings rats.

Materials that survive a British winter

Timber remains the classic choice, and it's hard to beat for looks. Look for pressure-treated softwood or a naturally durable hardwood such as oak, and check that any preservative is safe for wildlife once dry. Avoid untreated pine, which will soften and split within a couple of seasons.

Metal tables — usually powder-coated steel with a mesh or solid tray — are easier to scrub and won't rot, though they can be cold underfoot in hard frost and noisier in wind. A hybrid works well: a timber post with a metal tray and a slate or felt roof.

Whatever you choose, run a finger over the edges. Sharp corners and rough sawn timber can cause foot injuries, and mesh trays with large holes let small seeds fall straight through.

Drainage and hygiene: the details most people miss

Damp food is the single biggest cause of disease at feeding stations, so drainage deserves real attention. A good tray has a slight fall towards one or more small drainage holes, or a fine mesh base that lets water through while holding seed.

Hygiene needs to be practical, because you'll be doing it weekly:

• Choose a tray you can lift off or tip out in one movement
• Avoid deep dishes with crevices where old food collects
• Keep a dedicated brush and bucket, and wash with hot soapy water, then rinse well
• Rotate feeding spots around the garden every few months so waste doesn't build up in one place

Never put out salted food, mouldy bread or leftovers cooked in fat. In mild weather, avoid loose fat and suet, which turns rancid quickly.

Keeping cats, squirrels and rats at bay

Cats are the main reason people give up on a bird table. Position it at least two metres from any fence, shed, hedge or branch that a cat could launch from, and keep the ground beneath it clear of dense cover. A baffle on the post — a cone or collar that a cat can't get a grip on — helps enormously.

Grey squirrels will empty a tray in an afternoon. A domed roof with a lip, plus a baffle below, makes a real difference; some tables also come with a cage surround that lets small birds in but keeps larger animals out.

Rats arrive for spilled food, not for the table itself. A tray with a raised lip, a seed catcher underneath, and a quick sweep of the ground each evening will usually solve the problem before it starts. If you do see rats regularly, take the feeder down for a fortnight.

Siting it well and what to put on it

Place the table somewhere you can see it from a kitchen or living room window, but not so close that birds feel exposed. Roughly three to five metres out gives you a good view while keeping the table clear of glass strikes. A thorny shrub or dense hedge within a few metres gives birds a safe retreat, though not so close that it acts as a cat's springboard.

For food, start simple: a good mixed seed, black sunflower hearts, and a handful of mealworms will bring in tits, robins, chaffinches, house sparrows and the occasional starling. Add a shallow dish of clean water nearby — birds need to drink and bathe all year round, and in winter a dish kept free of ice is one of the kindest things you can offer.

Clean it weekly, top it up little and often, and be patient. A new table can take a fortnight to be discovered, but once the local birds know it's there, you'll wonder how you managed without one.