COLD Christmas leftovers cluttering up West Devon fridges until the New Year, can make an excellent source of food for garden birds say the RSPB.

The RSPB have produced a list of top ten tips for feeding garden birds this winter, which will help the birds survive a cold winter when food is scarce, as well as saving your waistline.

Birds welcome a bit of festive cheer, and will gladly polish off most Christmas leftovers. Cold roast potatoes, the last bit of Christmas pud and stale mince pies will all go down a treat. While a more healthy alternative is to give the birds apples, soaked raisins, grated cheese or unsalted peanuts.

RSPB wildlife enquiries adviser, Hilary Wilkinson, said: 'Part of the enjoyment of Christmas is sitting down to a tasty meal with all the trimmings but what we do with the leftovers can make the difference between life and death for the birds in our gardens at this time of year.

'Any foods high in fat will be especially welcome as they supply energy, so chopped bacon rind or suet is perfect. Don't forget that birds enjoy a drink as well, but stick to pure, clean water,' she advised.

The RSPB hope people would not forget to provide food and water for birds when the festivities are over, and would take part in the charity's Big Garden Bird Watch event, which takes place on January 26-27.

l The RSPB top ten tips for helping birds this winter are:

1. Introduce a birdtable to put out kitchen scraps such as meat fat, grated cheese, suet oats and dried fruit that has been soaked

2. Put out hanging feeders for unsalted peanuts, sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds

3. Don't let food go stale or rotten and ensure feeding areas are kept clean to stop the spread of disease

4. Build a pond, or at least ensure there is a supply of fresh water every day. Don't let it freeze but don't use chemicals

5. Put up nest boxes for birds to roost in winter and to nest in spring

6. Leave an area of 'weeds' such as nettles and thistles in a corner of the garden

7. Don't cut berry-bearing hedges until after all the berries are gone, but before birds use them for nesting — January is ideal

8. Plants that are good for birds include cotoneasters, crab apples, hawthorn, firethorn and holly

9. Add more native flowers such as cornflowers, evening primrose and sunflowers

10. Poached egg plants, fennel, marigolds, golden rod and Michaelmas daisies all support insects which eat pests, but attract birds.