Eight foods ‘could kill’ birds if left out in gardens this winter | Nature | News
As the UK prepares for cooler temperatures and enters the best part of the bird feeding season, garden bird expert Lucy Taylor has issued her annual warning about foods that could be harmful or even fatal to birds visiting our gardens. During this period, there is a significant increase in the number of people providing additional food, especially due to the decrease in natural resources and the arrival of winter migrants.
However, despite good intentions, many households unknowingly provide birds with foods that actively harm them. Wildlife charities see an increase in reports of garden birds sick or dying every winter.
The majority of these cases are related to inappropriate foods skipped with good intentions, including high-salt kitchen scraps, oils, moldy leftovers, and even bread.
What you should not feed the birds in your garden
Lucy, Vine House Farm Bird FoodHe said: “Most people who keep birds in their gardens buy all the food they put out just for this purpose, i.e. sunflower hearts, seed mixes and suet products etc. There are also useful and healthy additions that most households will already have, including apples, which are a great food for attracting Blackbirds and migrating Field Animals in the winter months.
“However, many of the types of food we keep in our homes for our own consumption are not suitable for garden birds, and some can even be very harmful to them. That is why we have listed here some examples of food for birds that you should not put in your garden.”
Bread
Lucy explained: “It is now widely known that feeding bread to ducks in local ponds and rivers is not a good thing, but in fact the same goes for garden birds such as House Sparrows and Starlings, who will readily eat bread. The problem is not only that bread has little nutritional value for the birds, but it also fills their stomachs quickly, which discourages them from feeding on other foods that would benefit them.”
Foods containing salt
Lucy noted: “Most processed foods are rich in salt; bacon is a prime example. Some cooked hard animal fats that do not contain salt are good for birds, but bacon grease is definitely not. To clarify: salt is toxic to songbirds, even in small amounts.”
Fat that is relatively liquid
Lucy noted: “We all know that tallow-based products such as fat balls are great for many species of garden birds, but one of the reasons why birds can consume it safely is because the product is hard. In contrast, the less hard fat in leftover roast chicken or turkey, for example, can mean birds get fat on their feathers as they try to feed, which could potentially hinder their ability to fly.”
Other foods to avoid
Dried Coconut – this is extremely dangerous and potentially lethal to birds because once it enters their stomach it swells as it absorbs the liquid.
Chocolate – although it may seem unlikely that you can leave this out as most of us enjoy it, it is vital to understand that chocolate is toxic to birds.
Milk – Birds cannot digest milk and consuming it can be fatal.
Avocado This may shock you, but avocados contain a compound called persin, which can trigger heart damage and respiratory problems in birds, potentially leading to sudden death.
Moldy or spoiled food – just like for humans, moldy or spoiled food is dangerous and potentially fatal to garden birds.
Lucy added: “Finally, if you are in doubt about which foods to remove and which to leave out, then play it safe and provide your garden birds with the kind of produce we supply direct from Vine House Farm.”
