Between October and January, ivy produces clusters of black berries that are perfect for birds at this time of year. The berries are high in fat, and blackbirds, thrushes and woodpigeons love them. They don’t go bad quickly, compared with other fruit, so they’re very useful for birds to eat later in the year when other supplies have been used up. Ivy is very common across the UK and Ireland. It grows in woodland, scrub (an area with lots of bushes) and on isolated trees. It can grow up to 30 metres tall. The leaves provide shelter for bats, birds, insects and small mammals, and the berries grow from flowers, which provide nectar for bees, butterflies, hoverflies and wasps earlier in the year.…
