For many gardeners, feeding the birds that visit their gardens can be one of the most enjoyable garden tasks. However, wildlife experts are warning against three food items that you should never put in your bird feeder.
Leaving out food during the autumn and winter can provide a vital energy source for our feathered friends, especially as the RSPB reports that bird species are declining in the UK. There are so many reasons why it is a good idea to learn what to feed birds in your garden, as attracting them not only helps to pollinate flowers, but it can also help with pest control.
1. Apple seeds and fruit pits
It may come as a surprise – birds love a fruity snack, after all – but one thing you need to avoid giving them is apple seeds and fruit pits. This means when feeding fruit to birds, you’ll have to take some extra care when preparing it.
‘Apple seeds and fruit pits seem harmless to birds, but you should never put them in your feeder. Apples are largely nutritious to birds, when the core is removed, as they provide birds with minerals and vitamins, especially beneficial in winter. However, the seeds actually contain small amounts of cyanide compounds, which can be toxic. When ingested, these compounds can interfere with a bird’s ability to absorb oxygen, potentially leading to serious illness or even death,’ explains James Ewens, gardening and wildlife expert from Green Feathers.
‘Pits from stone fruits like cherries or peaches can pose similar damage to birds. It’s tempting to just open up fruits that are perhaps over-ripened and feed them to birds instead, but these pits also contain cyanide-producing substances and can be a choking hazard, especially for smaller birds. Even if a bird manages to break open a pit, the inner material is the most dangerous part.’
2. Bread
I’m sure most people are guilty of feeding bread to birds, but experts say this is actually a big no-no.
‘Bread has low nutritional value to many birds, so it’s best to avoid feeding large quantities,’ explains Dr Elliot Goodwin, Practice Owner and Veterinary Surgeon at Vets for Pets, Hereford.
Bread fills birds up without offering them any benefit, which is why it is best avoided. It can also become a choking hazard for birds and becomes mouldy very quickly, which can be a huge problem for a bird’s health.
‘Toxins in mouldy food can cause illness or respiratory infections such as aspergillus,’ says Dr Elliot.
Aspergillus is a serious lung infection which can be fatal to garden birds. This is why it’s so important to make sure no mouldy food ends up in their feeder, and that you clean your bird feeder regularly, too.
3. Biscuits
It may be tempting to leave our dry foods for birds, perhaps a few old plain biscuits, but this is actually a very bad idea.
‘We often consider plain foods to be harmless to birds, and while they can definitely eat many foods also suitable for human consumption, sugary or processed food like a biscuit is not one of them,’ says James.
‘These foods are typically high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and offer little to no nutritional value for birds. Feeding birds processed, sugary foods can cause weight gain, liver issues, or nutritional deficiencies – it’s essential to stick to fully bird-friendly foods.’
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Beewarm Premium Wild Bird Food – Sunflowers Hearts for Garden Birds
Birds – especially robins – love sunflower hearts. Rich in protein they proivide a high-energy source for birds.
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RSPB Wild Bird Food Super Suet Fat Balls, 50 in a Box
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RSPB Feeder Mix 3.25kg
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When it comes to feeding birds, the best thing you can give them is food that is similar to what they would consume in the wild. While something may sound like a treat to you, it can have detrimental effects on your garden birds.
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