Although we love the thought of wild birds enjoying our leftovers, certain items should never be fed them. Stale bread poses serious choking hazards to smaller birds while moldy food may lead to lung disease in them.
Fruit seeds contain small traces of cyanide that can be fatal for birds. Furthermore, onions and garlic should also be avoided to ensure bird safety.
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Bread
Bread offers no nutritional benefit to birds; it simply satisfies them without providing essential protein and fat sources to fuel their survival.
Oven-baked food also attracts rats and other predators that spread diseases among wild birds, and may contaminate feathers with rancid oils and salt that damage waterproofing and insulation properties of their waterproofing and insulation properties.
As with other foods, bread waste can accumulate in waterways and contribute to algae blooms that deprive aquatic life of oxygen, ultimately killing them. Furthermore, its widespread distribution prevents birds from learning how to forage for their own sustenance in nature – leaving them more prone to starvation and illnesses such as Angel Wing disease (which causes permanent deformities). It’s best to feed birds other types of food than just bread!
Fat Balls
Although fat balls may seem like an excellent way to attract winter visitors, too many can actually lead to health concerns for birds. Mold growth could result in respiratory infections.
Fat balls may also smudge onto feathers and prevent waterproofing; additionally, they pose a choking hazard to birds.
Milk cannot be digested by wild birds and will likely result in an upset stomach or more serious health problems if eaten in excessive quantities. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine which are toxic to birds; fruit should only be given when stripped of seeds/pips to avoid choking hazards.
Seeds
Birds love seeds and suet, making it no surprise that some common backyard bird foods make most lists of things not to feed the birds. High-salt foods such as pretzels and chips may upset their stomachs and lead to dehydration or even death in your feathered friends.
Stale bread offers no nutritional benefit for birds. While you might think using your kitchen surplus is a good way to feed birds, dried fruit with pits or seeds should not be fed due to potential choking hazards; similarly, uncooked beans contain hemagglutinin that may lead to liver problems or even death – instead opt for offering fresh fruits, vegetables and cooked potatoes instead; you’ll soon be blessed with an array of feathered visitors!
Meat
Birds require fat for survival, yet an overly-fatty diet can be detrimental. Over time, too much dietary fat may displace other essential vitamins and nutrients found in wildbird diets and lead to malnutrition in birds.
Foods high in salt can also be detrimental to bird health. To stay safe, avoid snack foods like crisps, chips, pies and cakes which contain high levels of sodium. Don’t add extra salt when filling your feeder; adding it could prove particularly hazardous during winter.
Alliums (such as onions and garlic), chocolate and avocado should not be fed to birds as large doses could prove fatal for wildbirds. Furthermore, fruit pips and seeds could contain cyanide poison.
Fruit
Of course it’s great to give wild birds access to all kinds of kitchen scraps and leftovers, but certain foods should not be fed in excessive quantities. Onions contain high levels of sulphur which may irritate their stomach and throat leading to ulcers, an imbalanced diet or even death in birds.
Avocados contain persin, which has been linked with heart damage, respiratory problems and weakness in birds. Instead, offer fruit specialists such as robins and mockingbirds raisins, currants or orange halves as treats; or purchase blended feeds specifically designed to nourish these colourful flyers.
Desiccated coconut is not recommended as food for birds; its fibrous particles will clog their digestive systems and choke off their airways. Instead, try offering orioles skewered orange halves or providing nectar from a butterfly feeder as options.
