Winter instead of spring

Drop in temperature: tough times for bird parents

The capricious weather conditions are a real problem for native birds. It is not yet possible to quantify the extent of the losses.(Bild: VLADISLAV - stock.adobe.com)

The drop in temperature in April coincides with the main breeding season for many small birds. It is difficult for them to find food, and the chicks also struggle with the cold. What you can do in your garden - also to prevent the spread of diseases.

Many people are probably finding the prolonged cold spell unpleasant, especially after the summer weather at the beginning of April. For local birdlife, the drop in temperature is not only uncomfortable, but also a particular challenge, as it falls in the middle of the breeding season.

"The animals can usually survive a cold spell of two to three days. But if the bad weather lasts for two weeks, as is currently the case, then things become critical," says Johanna Kronberger from Birdlife Vorarlberg. If the situation worsens, it may even be that the brood or the rearing of the chicks is abandoned.