Keep farmland birds fed and maintain your environmental scheme compliance through winter and the critical Hungry Gap. Our specialist 8-seed mixture combines high-energy sunflower hearts, oilseed rape, and cereal grains to support seed-eating farmland species when natural food sources are depleted. Cleaned and processed in the UK for low dust and smooth feeding.
Our AHW2 / AB12 Supplementary Winter Bird Food is expertly blended to fulfil the strict requirements of DEFRA’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI - AHW2) and Countryside Stewardship (AB12) environmental schemes.
During late winter and early spring, commonly known as the Hungry Gap, naturally occurring seed supplies on farmland become severely depleted. Providing high-nutrition supplementary feed across farm tracks, feeding sites and field margins is essential to support farmland bird conservation, helping native species survive through harsh weather into the breeding season.
Why Choose South West Seeds AHW2 / AB12 Bird Seed Mix?
100% SFI & Countryside Stewardship Compliant: Formulated to meet official guidelines for supplementary farmland bird feeding schemes.
Balanced 8-Seed Formulation: Combines varied grain sizes and high-oil seeds to attract and sustain a wide range of red- and amber-listed farmland birds.
High-Energy Nutrition: Rich in essential oils and fats from sunflower hearts, black sunflower seeds and oilseed rape to keep birds in prime body condition through cold snaps.
Processed & Cleaned in the UK: All cereals and grains are cleaned on-site to remove dust, chaff and debris, ensuring smooth flow in hoppers, spreaders and seed feeders while reducing waste.
Flexible Bulk Sizes: Supplied in manageable 25kg sacks as well as 500kg and 1,000kg bulk tote bags for commercial farms, estates and agricultural contractors.
Target Species Supported
This diverse seed mixture provides tailored nutrition for key seed-eating farmland bird species, including:
Yellowhammers & Reed Buntings
Linnets & Goldfinches
Tree Sparrows & House Sparrows
Skylarks, Grey Partridges & Chaffinches
Formulation & Ingredients Breakdown
Our carefully balanced supplementary mix contains an optimal blend of high-protein cereals, small seeds, and oil-rich seeds:
| Ingredient | Benefit / Purpose |
| Cleaned Wheat & Cut Maize | Energy-dense carbohydrate foundation for ground-feeding farmland species. |
| Sunflower Hearts & Black Sunflower | High oil and fat content for essential body condition during winter freezes. |
| White Millet & Red Millet | Small, easily consumable seeds favoured by sparrows, buntings and finches. |
| Canary Seed & Red Dari Seed | Premium protein sources to support feather condition and vitality. |
| Oilseed Rape | Compact, oil-rich seed providing concentrated calories during winter. |
Feeding Guidelines & Best Practices
Feeding Period: Supplementary feeding under SFI AHW2 / AB12 typically runs from 1st December through 30th April (covering the peak Hungry Gap period).
Distribution: Spread feed evenly using a spinner, tractor-mounted spreader, or hand scattering along designated feed tracks, uncropped margins or near farmland bird cover plots.
Hygiene & Location: Rotate feeding areas periodically along tracks to prevent pest concentration and maintain clean feeding sites.
Free UK Delivery Included | Available in 25kg Sacks, 500kg & 1000kg Bulk Bags
How much is delivery?
Delivery is included in the price for seed orders, where delivery is chargeable, for example on some equipment, it is outlined on the product page.
How quickly will my order arrive?
We aim to process all orders placed before 12 noon on the same day. Any orders placed after that time will be processed on the next available working day.
We will send you a notification email when your order has been despatched.
Delivery will normally take 3-4 working days from the despatch of the order.
While we always try our best to despatch every order following the above guidelines, during extremely busy periods despatch times may increase by up to one day. In addition we will inform you at checkout if delivery may take a little longer due to high demand.
Special delivery instructions
If you have any special instructions for delivery, such as leaving your parcel with a neighbour, please include them in the ‘special instructions’ section at the checkout. Please note that our couriers will not respond to notes left on doors for security reasons
All orders are thoroughly checked before leaving our premises. On receipt of your order we request that you check the items as soon as possible. If you are unhappy with your order for any reason, please contact us on 01208 881198 or info@swseeds.co.uk. Please have your order number to hand when you contact us as it will allow us to find your order quickly.
If you are unsatisfied with your order in any way, please return it to us within 14 days of delivery for a refund or exchange. The item must be unused, be in its original packaging and be suitable for re-sale. Postage costs for returning items to us cannot be refunded, unless the item is faulty or damaged.
We recommend that you send your order back to us using a tracked delivery service as we cannot be held responsible for any parcel lost during transit to us.
Our return address is:
South West Seeds
Treswarrow Farm
St Endellion
Port Isaac
Cornwall
PL29 3TN
Once your item has been returned, we will inspect it and take the necessary action as soon as possible.
Faulty/Damaged Goods:
If any item you receive from us arrives damaged, please contact us as soon as possible on 01208 881198 or by email info@swseeds.co.uk. We will then advise you on the best course of action.
In most cases we will ask you to return the item to us for an exchange or refund. Unfortunately we cannot refund your postage costs when you return an item to us unless the item is faulty.
Please check your order before you sign for it from the courier. If the item is faulty or damaged in any way, please do not sign for it and the courier will return the item to us. We will then send a replacement item out as soon as possible.
Returns
Please contact us in reference to any returns. Bags and boxes must not be opened and must be in a resalable condition and must be returned within 28 days. If a special order/mix has been prepared for you, this is non-returnable.
