Originally the consumer did not pay much attention to feeding wild birds. This habit actually started in the United Kingdom, which is also the European country with the most backyard-loving inhabitants. But because of the increasing awareness of the importance of nature, wild birds came to the attention of other European consumers as well.

From the four-season approach to…!

Over the years it has become more and more normal to feed wild birds. In the first instance it started with people feeding “normal” seeds, later on changing to the – still popular – fat balls (suet). A few years ago the pet industry stimulated the wild bird segment by launching the concept of “feeding wild birds the whole year round”, the so-called four-season approach. That trend started the introduction of a full range of wild bird products, including different types of wild bird feed – depending on the type of bird – as well as all kinds of accessories. In the wild bird feed segment, the fat ball and the seed mixtures are still today the most common types of food. Europe has many manufacturers of wild bird feed, one of the major ones being CJ WildBird Foods from the UK. VPG International, located in Denmark, is the biggest fat ball producer in Europe.Meanwhile, a lot of market research is being done to investigate whether the effect of the four-season approach is really good for the birds. Up until now, research is confirming this. Furthermore, it seems to be that the consumers who enjoy feeding birds are mostly women. One of the main reasons for feeding garden birds is to help them to survive the cold winter season.  

At this stage a new trend is starting, which is to pay attention to the health of the wild birds. One of the central questions is in which way the feed silos and tables can influence the birds’ health if they are not cleaned properly. At this moment all kinds of research to the effects of feeding garden birds is done in the United Kingdom, and it can be expected that new product developments will originate from the results of these studies.

Market structure

Pet shops in Europe are more frequently introducing special displays on which they are offering their consumers a full product range for birds. But also garden centres play an important role in this product segment. The level of turnover is mainly driven by the coldness of the winter – if the winter is warmer than normal, the level of turnover is showing a decline. But overall one can say that the turnover is going through a positive development, although the big question is in which way the current economic crisis will influence sales for the upcoming season.  Most of the pet retailers in Europe are part of franchise chains, and their products are delivered via central warehouses. But also wholesalers are playing an important role in this segment.

We should, however, keep in mind that the European market cannot be approached as one market. Feeding wild birds is especially relevant for the Northern European countries. In countries as, for instance, Italy and Spain it is more common for people to have one or two small songbirds on the outside of their balcony.

Bird watching

The more professional side of wild birds is formed by hobbyists who like to watch wild birds in nature. A lot of these hobbyists are part of local associations which are taking all kinds of initiatives to exchange information, travel to special locations, et cetera. Via those associations and the few specialized providers available, products like binoculars, field guides and bird identification software are offered. The pet retail- as well as the garden centre channel does not play any significant role in this.