Garden bird expert Lucy Taylor has issued her annual warning
As the mercury dips and we enter the prime bird-feeding season, garden bird expert Lucy Taylor has issued her annual warning about foods that can harm – and even kill – our feathered friends. This time of year sees a significant increase in people putting out extra food, particularly as natural resources dwindle and winter migrants arrive.
However, despite good intentions, many households unknowingly provide foods that are actively harmful to birds. Every winter, wildlife charities witness a surge in reports of ill or dying garden birds.
A large number of these cases are connected to unsuitable foods left out with the best intentions, including high-salt kitchen scraps, liquid fats, mouldy leftovers and even bread.
What not to feed the birds in your garden
Lucy, from Vine House Farm Bird Foods, said: “For most people feeding the birds in their gardens, all the food they put out is purchased for just that purpose – so products such as sunflower hearts, seed mixes and suet products, etc. There are also useful and healthy additions to put out which most households would already have, with a good example being apples – which are a great food in the winter months to attract Blackbirds and migrant Fieldfares.
“However, most of the food types we keep in our homes for our own consumption are not suitable for garden birds, and indeed some are can be very harmful to them. So here we’ve listed some key examples of foods not to put out in your garden for birds.”
Bread
Lucy explained: “It’s now widely known that feeding bread to ducks at local ponds and rivers is not a good thing to do, but actually the same is true for garden birds such as House Sparrows and Starlings, which will readily eat bread. The main issue is that bread not only has little nutritional value for birds, but it also fills their stomachs quickly, which discourages them from feeding on other foods which would be of benefit to them.”
Foods that contain salt
Lucy said: “Most processed foods are high in salt with a prime example being bacon. Some cooked firm animal fats which don’t contain salt are fine for birds, but bacon fat most certainly isn’t. And to be clear on the problem: salt is toxic to songbirds – even in small quantities.”
Fat that is relatively liquid
Lucy pointed out: “We all know that suet-based products such as fat balls are great for many species of garden bird, but one of the reasons birds are able to safely consume it is because the product is firm. In contrast, fat, which is much less firm – e.g. on the remains of a roast chicken or turkey – can mean that birds can end up with the fat on their feathers as they attempt to feed on it, with this potentially impeding their ability to fly.”
Other foods to avoid
Desiccated coconut – this is highly dangerous and potentially fatal to birds, because once in their stomachs it will swell as it absorbs liquid.
Chocolate – whilst it’s unlikely you’d put this out as most of us prefer to keep it for ourselves, it’s crucial to know that chocolate is poisonous to birds.
Milk – birds cannot digest milk and consuming it can prove fatal.
Avocado – this may come as a surprise, but avocado contains a substance called persin, which can cause heart damage and breathing difficulties in birds, potentially resulting in sudden death.
Any mouldy or spoiled foods – just as it is for humans, any mouldy or spoiled food is dangerous and potentially deadly to garden birds.
Lucy added: “On a final note, if you’re ever in doubt about what foods to put out and what not to, then just play it safe and provide the birds in your garden with the type of products we supply directly from Vine House Farm.”
