February is when natural food for birds is in short supply, and filling a birdfeeder is one of the most thoughtful ways gardeners can help them through the last stretch of winter. However, keeping a birdfeeder full can soon become expensive, but the good news is that you do not need to keep buying bird food, as many everyday kitchen leftovers can be safely offered to birds instead.

Kayleigh Jacobs-Rutter from the Woodland Trust has shared that you can actually feed birds leftover rice, despite the common myth that it harms them. She said: "Both cooked and uncooked rice is a suitable snack for hungry birds, so long as it's unsalted. It's also a good idea to rinse your rice to get rid of excess starch before putting it out. And don't use instant rice - it's just not suitable."

Many people believe that birds cannot eat rice because of an urban legend claiming that uncooked rice swells inside their stomachs and can cause them to burst.

However, there is no scientific evidence to support this, and the myth is thought to have originated from attempts to discourage guests from throwing rice over newlywed couples at weddings.

Birds naturally eat grains, so they will have no problem digesting rice, but they cannot handle salt, so make sure to only fill a birdfeeder with plain rice that has not been exposed to seasoning, butter or any cooking oils.

Rice is mainly carbohydrate, which can give birds a useful boost of energy in cold weather, but it contains very little protein or fat, both of which birds need to build up their reserves and stay warm.

It is perfectly fine to offer birds a small amount of rice, but take care that it does not become the main part of their diet, as it does not provide the range of nutrients they need.

Bird diets are quite flexible, so it is possible to feed them without spending any money at all. Just make sure to offer a mix of fat, proteins and carbohydrates to help them stay healthy for the remaining few weeks of winter.

Cheese contains protein and fat that birds will enjoy, but make sure to grate it finely so small birds can eat it safely, as large chunks could be a choking hazard.

You can also feed birds boiled eggs, unsalted peanuts and any fat trimmings like bacon rinds, but be careful as meat does contain some salt so only feed it to them occasionally.

If you have leftover bacon rinds then first rinse them under cold water to remove the excess salt and then cut them into very small pieces.

Feeding birds any leftover vegetables is also a simple way to cut down on food waste, and you can leave out carrots, broccoli, cabbage, peas or sweetcorn.

Birds can also enjoy any spare fruit you have, such as pears, grapes, melon, and other berries, as long as you chop them into small pieces.

If you have any leftover apples, make sure to remove the seeds first, as they can be toxic to animals.

It should be noted that birds cannot handle citric fruits or avocados, as they contain a substance called persin, which is poisonous to them and even a small amount can cause heart damage or even death.