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Households that leave out food for birds have been warned against making an error that could present a threat to wildlife. Many people believe they are doing a good thing by placing food out for birds.

It is delightful to watch all the different species visiting our gardens. There are numerous feeding options available, including seeds, fruit, mealworms and fat balls. However, horticulturalist David Domoney has called on gardeners to exercise "careful" judgement regarding a viral trend.

Numerous videos have appeared on social media platforms promoting people to make their own fat balls to feed birds.

David has cautioned that certain videos advocate methods that could potentially harm the birds. He said: "Warning, be careful. There are some things on social media that can actually harm the birds in your garden."

The gardening specialist explained that offering birds fat balls is a "great" practice, particularly if purchased from a garden centre.

Yet, David warned: "If you have made your own, it's not so good as they are recommending using butter, using fat from the end of a fryer that's dirty and salty, using coconut oil.

"Not only does it upset the bird's stomach, but when they are preening, it also affects the oils in their feathers as well. Definitely do not follow that advice on social media."

Should you wish to create fat balls at home, the expert advises you must use pure lard.

"Not everything you see on social media is safe advice," he explained. "When it comes to feeding birds, using the wrong fats can seriously affect their health.

"All of these can upset their stomachs and even interfere with the natural oils in their feathers when preening, affecting insulation and their flight. Please, no butter, no leftover fryer fat and no coconut oil."

As an RSPB ambassador, he shared it's been "disheartening" to witness hazardous techniques being circulated on social media.

David also revealed that gardeners can assist birds in numerous other ways. He recommended providing fresh, clean water daily, cleaning feeders regularly and positioning feeders safely away from predators.

Many of David's followers expressed gratitude for his guidance but admitted they had been unaware of the risks. One commented: "Fantastic advice."

Another added: "I make my own with pure lard and they love them." Someone else commented: "Thanks, I've always made mine with bacon fat."

David told them: "I'm glad you found this helpful. The RSPB recommends steering clear of greasy, runny fats because they can coat feathers and affect waterproofing. They can soften quickly when it warms up, so a firmer mix is safer."