How to help your garden wildlife in a heatwave

Temperatures are rising each year, making it more vital than ever that we do what we can to help our local wildlife in extreme weather condition.

Once again, charities are asking the public to think about putting out a supply of fresh water in their gardens or outdoor space, to help their local wildlife cope with the scorching heat.

“While we sit back and relax in the outside with an ice-cold drink, generally revelling in an unusually sunny weather, our garden birds might not be having such a good time,” says Chris Calow, a wildlife advisor for the RSPB.

“Turning your outside space into a home for nature by doing simple things like topping up your bird bath, creating a make-shift pond from a washing-up bowl, or putting down a saucer filled with water could offer a vital lifeline to some of our much-loved garden birds that are already fighting against declines."

Alongside drinking water, birds need water to bathe in order to keep their feathers in good condition. However, as natural water sources dry up, they may struggle to find this vital resource.

If you have hedgehogs in your garden, put out a shallow dish of water for them. © Michael Partridge

Water will also be needed by mammalian garden visitors – the British Hedgehog Preservation Society says that offering fresh water (and meaty pet food) can be a lifesaver for hedgehogs.

It is advised that water bowls should be shallow, and that garden ponds have ways for hedgehogs (and other small mammals) to climb out if they fall in.

Additional advice from the RSPCA also includes:

Cleaning water containers daily and dry them before refilling, in order to reduce the risk of spreading disease
Don't place water dishes too close to bushes and trees, to minimise predation from cats and other predators
Keep water away from the bird table and other feeding areas to avoid fouling
Do not give milk to hedgehogs, only plain, fresh water
Top up water levels of ponds, and provide shaded areas for fish
Search bonfires before burning garden rubbish
Take care when using a lawn-mower or strimmer - hedgehogs in long grass may curl up if they feel threatened, and toads tend to squat down instead of running away

If you find an animal in distress (advice from the RSPCA):

If the animal is a wild bird or mammal smaller than the size of a rabbit, the quickest way to get help is to contact a local vet or rehabilitation centre as they will not usually charge for treating wildlife.
If the animal is larger than a rabbit, call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

Make sure to clean out and dry water supplies to prevent fouling. © Chris Gomersall/RSPB

How British mammals cope with hot weather

Hot weather can be a problem for mammals, especially those that feed on invertebrates that are active in wet conditions.

Hedgehogs

A hedgehog drinks water – not milk – from a shallow bowl. © Ian Harris/BHPS

With temperatures set to soar, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society is reminding people of the importance of leaving shallow bowls of fresh water out for hedgehogs and other wildlife.

Fay Vass, CEO said “Water and food is scarce for hedgehogs when it’s hot and dry, making water available can literally save a life! Pop a few pebbles in to make sure insects can escape and if you can, offer visiting hedgehogs some meaty cat or dog food too.”

Foxes

A close up of young male red fox in Greater London. © Ben Andrews/RSPB

Unlike badgers, adult foxes do not suffer in hot, dry summers, since their normal prey – rabbits and small rodents – is still readily available and abundant.
Fox cubs, however, lack their parents’ hunting skills, and in July, when they have to start foraging for themselves, they rely heavily on easy-to-catch food items such as earthworms and invertebrates.
So, in hot, dry summers, fox cubs are unable to forage successfully. Unlike badger cubs, they rarely starve, but their growth is greatly reduced and they don’t make this up later in the year. They therefore develop into smaller adults.

Deer

In hot weather, fly irritation can be so severe that red deer in hilly areas seek higher ground, often with a breeze, for relief.
Similarly, lowland deer usually spend more time in woodland and denser cover, where fly infestations are reduced.
Red deer also spend more time lying down, since this appears to decrease harassment from flies.
Magpies pick off the deer’s ectoparasites and catch annoying flies, particularly when the herd is lying down.

Badgers

Badger photographed from the Speyside Wildlife hide. © Jane Hope

In summer, badger setts become hot and stuffy. If you approach a sett quietly, you may see its occupants lying just outside the entrance.
Summer nights are short, and if it’s hot and dry, badgers are often hard-pressed to find enough food, so they emerge from their setts earlier.
During prolonged periods of dry weather, they may also look for food during the day.
Cubs are particularly affected by dry summers and many die. Starving youngsters may be seen foraging in daylight hours in cattle yards and gardens.

Insectivores

A common mole emerging from a molehill. © Tim Oram/Getty

In winter, the diet of moles is almost entirely comprised of earthworms. In summer, however, they also feed on insects, since earthworms move much deeper into the soil and are less frequently encountered in tunnels.
Moles seen above ground in summer (often during the day) are dispersing juveniles.
Hedgehogs that are seen out during the day in hot summers are often females with young that have been unable to find enough food to support lactation. Sometimes, the babies are with her.
If you want to help, offer them commercial hedgehog food or tinned pet meat and water.

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