While Bermuda’s birds may be a little low on foliage following the two recent storms, don’t be tempted to throw food out for them.

President of the Bermuda Audubon Society Andrew Dobson said that leaving birdseed out is most likely to attract non-native birds such as sparrows, morning doves and starlings not to mention rats.

He did have a few tips on what the public can do to help following the storm including mending broken bluebird boxes.

He said: “Local birds seem to be able to cope with hurricanes quite well, people are probably noticing them more because of the lack of foliage. The best thing people can do is to ensure there is fresh water in their bird baths.

“There’s not much people can do in terms of feeding the birds except maybe putting out sunflower seeds — they can be quite good for our local cardinals.

“If you didn’t take your bluebird boxes down now is the time to take it down, make any necessary repairs and store it for the winter. My fear is we are going to have a shortage of bluebird boxes next spring so now is a good time to start doing something about that.

“For new boxes you can call the Bermuda Audubon Society.

“We will put kits in the Aberfeldy Nurseries and the National Trust shop before Christmas so they will make a good Christmas gift.

“They can go back out at the beginning of March.”

Mr Dobson also suggested planting endemic trees and shrubs which survive the hurricanes well such as olive woods, cedars, Bermuda palmettos and Jamaican Dogwood.

Asked how birds manage to deal with the hurricanes, Mr Dobson explained: “The birds seem to have a natural sense to take shelter whether low down in woodland or even behind buildings — people reported that they saw birds outside their windows sheltering.

“The ones who come off worse are the migrants who happen to be heading south and get caught up in the storm — at least our birds are on land.”