Where do all the garden birds go in August?

During spring, the birds certainly put on a good show. At first we enjoy the cacophony of bird song surrounding us during the breeding season. Then we can spend time watching busy parents flying back and forth to their hungry chicks from dawn ‘til dusk. Finally, there’s the joy of seeing fluffy little fledglings taking their first flight into the world. By the summer we have got used to regularly seeing birds on our feeders and in hedgerows and then they suddenly disappear!

Have they migrated? Have they all been eaten? Has a disease wiped them all out? No, nothing quite so dramatic has happened. The birds are still around, they’re just hiding whilst they spruce themselves up ready for winter.

Feathers aren’t indestructible. They get damaged, discoloured and weakened during a bird’s busy year. So after a while worn out feathers need to be replaced. This is a natural process called moulting.

August is prime time for bird moulting. Replacing all your feathers is an extremely energy draining experience so birds save it for when they are less stressed – after breeding and before migration. August is also very warm, so the birds don’t get too cold and there is still plenty of protein-rich food about.

The feathers don’t all fall out at once. This would leave birds unable to fly and very, very cold! Instead, each feather is gradually replaced one by one. During the moult, birds have less energy and it’s much harder for them to fly. This makes them very vulnerable to predators, so they spend most of their time hidden in vegetation trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.

Most garden birds take about 6 to 8 weeks to completely moult and then they are out and about again, fattening themselves up for winter.

Posted in: Birds on 13 July 2015


Back to the in your garden homepage

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1781268597.40040 [905] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1781268597.42670.0263Matched route: discover/in-your-garden/article/[i:id]
1781268597.42680.0001Server address: 216.73.216.192
1781268597.42690Using master page: /templates/pages/in-your-garden/post.php
1781268597.42690Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /discover/in-your-garden/article/156
    [id] => 156
    [1] => 156
)
1781268597.42720.0003 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.42830.0011 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1781268597.43040.0021 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1781268597.4310.0006INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1781268597.4330.002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=21796171
1781268597.43360.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=21796171
1781268597.43420.0006 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-06-12 12:49:00' AND saleTo>'2026-06-12 12:49:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1781268597.43510.0009 [1] SELECT collectionID, collectionTemplate FROM swt_collections WHERE collectionKey='Wildcall'
1781268597.43560.0005 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=156)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781268597.43970.004Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1781268597.43980.0002 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1781268597.440.0002Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1781268597.44010Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1781268597.44010Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781268597.44010Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1781268597.44020Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1781268597.44020Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1781268597.44020Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1781268597.44030Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781268597.44030Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1781268597.44040Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1781268597.44040Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1781268597.44050.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1781268597.44060.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.44060Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.44070.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781268597.44070Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.44070Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781268597.44080Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.44080Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.44090 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.44280.002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781268597.44560.0027 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1781268597.44660.001 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1781268597.4480.0014Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1781268597.44830.0003 [nil] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/discover/in-your-garden/article' OR regionPage='*')
1781268597.44890.0006No matching content regions found. Check region name (Banner image) and page path options.
1781268597.44890 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE idx.regionID IS NULL AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781268597.44950.0005 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781268597.45250.003 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.4530.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781268597.45510.0021Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1781268597.45520 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.45610.0009 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.45660.0005 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.45940.0028 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.46050.0011 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.46120.0007 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781268597.46390.0027 [0] SELECT setID FROM swt_category_sets WHERE setSlug='' LIMIT 1
1781268597.46460.0007 [1] SELECT main.* FROM swt_categories main WHERE 1=1 AND (catPath='wildcall/birds/') ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781268597.46530.0006 [1] Using template: /templates/categories/wildcall_banner.html
1781268597.4680.0028 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=156)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781268597.47090.0028Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1781268597.4710.0001 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1781268597.47120.0002Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1781268597.47120Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1781268597.47130.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781268597.47140.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1781268597.47150Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1781268597.47150Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1781268597.47150Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1781268597.47160Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781268597.47160Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1781268597.47170Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1781268597.47170.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1781268597.47190.0002Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1781268597.47190.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.4720.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.47210.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781268597.47210Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.47210Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781268597.47220Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.47220Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781268597.47230 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781268597.4740.0017 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781268597.4770.003 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1781268597.47780.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1781268597.47840.0006 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781268597.48060.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.48110.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781268597.48310.0021 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781268597.4840.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1781268597.48450.0005 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1781268597.48480.0004 [37] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781268597.48750.0027 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.48790.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781268597.490.0021 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781268597.49310.0031 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1781268597.49380.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1781268597.49430.0005 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781268597.49650.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.4970.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781268597.4990.002 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781268597.50110.002 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1781268597.50170.0006 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1781268597.50220.0005 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781268597.50430.0021 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781268597.50490.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781268597.50690.002 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781268597.50840.0015Request time: 0.1103
1781268597.50840Process time: 0.1101
1781268597.50840Memory: 1.7821