If you have run out of birdseed, you can safely put out several kitchen items for backyard birds: chopped fruit, unsalted nuts, plain cooked grains, crushed eggshells, and a few cooked eggs. Keep portions small, serve them fresh, and go back to proper seed or suet as soon as you can.
Safe Stand-Ins You Probably Already Have
- Chopped apples, grapes, berries and orange halves. Robins, mockingbirds, waxwings and orioles like soft fruit. Cut grapes in half and remove large pits and seeds from apples.
- Unsalted nuts and peanut butter. Plain peanuts, walnuts and almonds (chopped) work, but never salted, flavored or moldy nuts. If you use peanut butter, mix it with cornmeal or oats so it doesn’t stick in a bird’s mouth. See our guide to walnuts for wild birds.
- Plain cooked rice, oats and pasta. Cooked without salt or butter, these give birds quick energy. Offer only what they will finish in a day.
- Cooked eggs and crushed shells. Scrambled or hard-boiled egg is a good protein source, and baked, crushed shells give nesting females calcium.
- Frozen peas and corn. Thaw them first. Birds eat them whole or pecked.
- Cheese in small crumbs. Mild cheese is fine in tiny amounts (see feeding cheese to wild birds).
What Not to Put Out
- Bread, crackers and chips, which fill birds up without feeding them.
- Anything salty, sugary, fried or moldy.
- Chocolate, avocado, and caffeine, which are toxic to birds.
- Raw or processed meat, which spoils quickly and draws rodents.
Seeds to Buy Next
When you restock, these single seeds are the most useful. Black oil sunflower is the best all-around choice for the widest range of birds. Safflower is rich in fat and protein, and squirrels and many blackbirds tend to leave it alone. White proso millet suits ground feeders such as juncos, sparrows and doves. Milo and red millet are common fillers in cheap mixes that most birds skip, so check the label. Our guide to feeding wild birds besides seed and the cheapest way to feed wild birds help you plan a budget-friendly restock.
Keep It Clean
Soft foods spoil fast, especially in warm or wet weather. Put them out in small amounts each morning, remove leftovers by evening, and wash feeders and trays regularly with a mild soap and water rinse.
Bottom Line
Fruit, unsalted nuts, plain cooked grains and eggs make a safe short-term meal for wild birds when you are out of seed. Keep portions small, skip salty or moldy foods, and restock with black oil sunflower or a quality mix as soon as possible.
