Warning over leaving bread out for birds
Bread, chocolate and salted peanuts are among the foods you should NOT leave out for birds this winter, an expert has warned. Feathered friends flock to feeders and bird tables in search of sustenance at this time of year as their usual sources of nutrition, such as berries and insects, become scarce. But while many well-meaning Brits turn to kitchen leftovers in a bid to support birdlife in their gardens, Chris McIlroy from The Grass People[1] has revealed that some things might not be ideal.
He said: “Many species of birds will rely on food left out to sustain them through the colder months. “They need to conserve as much of their energy as possible to stay warm, so any sources of nourishment that are not too hard to find become vital. But it’s important to understand what types of food they need, and also anything that can potentially harm them.”
Chris says bread is one of the many culprits as it has traditionally been seen as something to leave on the bird table once it has gone stale in the kitchen. He added: “Bread has very little nutritional value for birds, while at the same time making them very full. “This means less room for the stuff they need, such as seeds and nuts.
Much like how throwing old crusts into duck ponds is now frowned upon, leaving it out on your bird table is also a bad idea.” Other foodstuffs to avoid include chocolate, salty foods such as salted peanuts, and meat – which can attract unwanted pests in the shape of rats, cats and foxes. Chris explained: “Salt can badly affect a bird’s nervous system if ingested in higher quantities, so watch out for anything with a high sodium content.
“Many people are aware that birds also need a source of fresh water during the winter so they add salt to a bird bath in a bid to stop it freezing. But, again, this is best avoided. Try floating a ping-pong ball on the surface to act as an ice breaker instead.”
One of the main mistakes people make with winter bird food is offering up whatever is scraped off their plates. The issue with this is human food is often cooked in oil, or flavoured with spices, which do not agree with a bird’s digestive system. “It can also attract vermin, while rotten food can hold bacteria that is harmful to birds and milk is a big no-no as it can give them diarrhoea and lead to dehydration,” said Chris.
So instead of making these feeding follies, The Grass People’s[2] expert recommends a mix of high fat and high protein snacks that will have your birds tweeting in delight until Spring. He said: “Suet and lard are great energy sources, while unsalted nuts also sustain birds for longer. Black sunflower seeds, mixed seeds, fruit and mealworms are also great avian cuisine choices during cold weather[3] – and peanut butter is a hit with many species, as long as it’s unsalted.”
With recent UK winters proving particularly harsh, there is a worry more will die out if the climate trend continues. And the RSPB says the size of the bird can determine if it survives during the bleaker months. Its website states: “The smaller the bird, the more likely it is to be affected by long periods of cold weather.
Many birds do die through starvation in winter, but it’s only if freezing temperatures continue during the daytime and nighttime for several days in a row that there’s a likelihood that lots of birds will die.”
References
- ^ The Grass People (go.skimresources.com)
- ^ The Grass People’s (go.skimresources.com)
- ^ weather (www.walesonline.co.uk)