Wild birds require food from multiple sources throughout the year. Seeds like sunflower, nyjer and safflower seeds are popular with most species of wild bird, while suet can help provide vital winter nutrition. Cooked pasta or rice may also be offered without sauces or seasonings added – however this must remain plain without adding sauces or seasonings for maximum benefits to wild bird health.
Pantry grains and kitchen scraps can help your bird feeders remain full without going to waste. Just beware to avoid offering moldy nuts or grains as these could spread disease among birds.
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Bananas
Bananas provide birds with essential carbohydrates, which they need for energy and vital vitamins. But it is important that bananas be given in moderation since their high percentage of sugar may cause digestive issues in wild birds.
When offering bananas to birds, ripe fruit is easier for them to digest. Chopping up and placing on a bird plate or feeder platform will also decrease chances of the fruit spoiling on the ground and attracting rodents.
Apples
Apples provide birds with a healthy source of carbohydrates, providing an energy boost when fed in moderation. Overfeeding can cause weight gain; furthermore, apples contain high levels of fiber for digestive purposes – just as humans should consume enough of this dietary source to stay healthy!
Apples can be given to birds as long as the skin has been properly washed; however, remove seeds and core as these contain trace amounts of cyanide that could prove toxic for birds.
Roasted nuts
Wild birds love nuts of all varieties, particularly peanuts, which offer them both protein and fat to fuel their metabolism. You could also provide other forms of nuts such as sunflower seeds, pecans or walnuts.
Your guests may enjoy these whole and roasted, or finely chopped up. Just be mindful of any flavored nuts with high amounts of sugar or chemicals in them!
Cheese can also be offered to birds as food. Stale cheese with mild flavors should be safe to give to them; any moldy or rancid cheese must not be given to them.
Raisins
Birds require a diet rich in both macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) and micronutrients (calcium, iron and potassium). Raisins and sultanas make great additions to bird feeders as they contain these vital micronutrients in small doses.
However, it should be remembered that raisins contain sugar which can be toxic for birds in large doses; to protect their wellbeing and ensure safe consumption by birds it is wise to soak raisins first before giving them as treats.
Soaking raisins removes excess sugar, making them easier for birds to digest and preventing potential choking hazards for wild birds.
Cheese
Cheese can be an ideal food source for birds as it provides them with essential fats while simultaneously offering essential vitamin B12 benefits that may alleviate issues like tiredness or weak muscles in birds.
Cheese should only be fed to birds in moderation as birds cannot digest lactose efficiently. A small piece of stale cheddar would be an ideal treat.
Cheese can be especially helpful to birds during the winter when their diet may lack diversity and they don’t get enough protein from other sources such as peanut butter or fruits. Furthermore, cheese provides another food source that will complement other sources like nuts or fruit.
Peanut butter
Birds require high-fat foods during winter to stay warm and receiving peanut butter can help them to obtain all of the calories they require.
However, bread should only be fed as a supplement and should never be seen as an essential food source for birds. While bread might fill birds up quickly, its nutrition-deficient formula lacks key elements essential for their wellbeing.
When feeding peanut butter to wild birds, always look out for signs of mold or spoilage and for added salt, sugar or any other ingredients which may harm them.
Vegetables
Bird owners should provide their pets with a wide variety of fruits and vegetables from their kitchen in order to keep them active, healthy and interested in eating. Cut up into appropriate sized for birds as this will prevent choking.
Melons such as watermelons, cantaloupe and honeydew make nutritious bird food due to their abundance of proteins and water content.
Cheese can be offered to birds as snacks, provided it is in small pieces that have gone bad or is moldy or rancid; any moldy or rancid cheese should not be given because this could potentially cause illness in birds.
