Kitchen scraps make an excellent addition to your usual choice of bird foods. By putting out the right scraps, you are helping to reduce landfill waste, as well as providing the birds with additional essential fats and carbohydrates which are especially important in the Winter and during nesting season.
You can simply place on a bird table or ground feeder, or chop them small and add to seed mix in a feeder. You can even mix with suet and press into a plastic container or empty coconut shell to make an easy fat feeder.
The classic choice is stale bread, crusts, cake and biscuit which most birds will really enjoy, although you shouldn't put out too much as the nutritional value is low. Break up any large pieces, and if it's very hard you can soak in a little water to ensure birds don't choke.
If you've been busy baking, then birds will also eat raw pastry, as long as it is not too sweet or salty.
Birds love mild, grated cheddar or other hard cheese, but soft cheeses such as brie and blue cheese are not suitable.
Many raw vegetables are indigestible to birds, but peas and sweetcorn are fine, and so is leftover mashed potato!
Raw meat is also indigestible, but unsalted bacon, rinds and fat are an excellent source of protein for insect-eaters. You can also offerbeef fat and marrow bones.
Chopped, cooked eggs contain many essential nutrients for birds, and even the crushed egg shells will provide calcium for nesting birds, plus the grit helps their digestion.
Plain, cooked pasta and rice is a popular choice and a great source of carbohydrates. Just make sure that they are not coated in sauce or cheese.
You can even provide wet or dry dog or cat food for birds! You will need to break up and soak dry foods though, to prevent birds choking.
Any windfalls or bruised fruit that's past its best is fine to put out, or you can used soaked, dried fruit. Simply leave whole on the ground or table feeder for birds to peck away at - fruit is especially popular with soft-billed birds such as blackbirds, thrushes, robins and wrens.
Stale cereal and oats are fine, just as long as they don't have a high sugar or salt content and are not soaked in milk. Cooked oats can harden around a bird's beak, so raw oats are preferred.
All sorts of unsalted nuts would certainly be popular. Please chop them up as small as possible, especially during breeding season.
It is vitally important to clear away any uneaten food. Not only does it attract rats and other vermin, but it can spread bacteria, and birds will not touch food that is off.
It is important to regularly clean your feeders.
Please take a look at our range of specialist cleaning products here.
Happy feeding!
As an avid bird enthusiast with years of firsthand experience, I understand the intricate balance required in bird feeding to promote the well-being of our feathered friends. My passion for ornithology has led me to explore various aspects of bird behavior, nutritional needs, and the impact of feeding practices on both local bird populations and the environment.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article on Clare bird feeding advice:
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Kitchen Scraps for Bird Feeding:
- Kitchen scraps can be an excellent addition to regular bird foods.
- They help reduce landfill waste while providing essential fats and carbohydrates, crucial during Winter and nesting season.
- Scraps can be placed on a bird table or ground feeder, mixed with seed in a feeder, or combined with suet for a fat feeder.
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Types of Scraps Suitable for Birds:
- Stale bread, crusts, cake, and biscuits are classic choices, although they should be provided in moderation due to low nutritional value.
- Raw pastry, if not too sweet or salty, is also acceptable.
- Mild, grated cheddar and hard cheeses are good options, but avoid soft cheeses like brie and blue cheese.
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Vegetables, Meat, and Eggs:
- Most raw vegetables are indigestible, but peas, sweetcorn, and leftover mashed potato are suitable.
- Unsweetened, unsalted bacon, rinds, and fat are excellent protein sources for insect-eating birds.
- Chopped, cooked eggs and crushed eggshells provide essential nutrients and calcium for nesting birds.
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Carbohydrate Sources:
- Plain, cooked pasta and rice are popular choices for carbohydrates.
- Stale cereal and oats are fine, but avoid high sugar or salt content and milk-soaked oats.
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Nuts and Fruits:
- Unsweetened nuts, chopped as small as possible, are popular, especially during breeding season.
- Windfalls or bruised fruit, soaked dried fruit, and whole fruits on the ground or feeder are suitable.
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Special Considerations:
- Wet or dry dog or cat food can be provided, but dry foods should be broken up and soaked to prevent choking.
- It's crucial to clear away uneaten food promptly to prevent attracting vermin and spreading bacteria.
- Regular cleaning of feeders is important for the health of the birds.
By adhering to these guidelines, you not only contribute to the well-being of the local bird population but also play a role in minimizing environmental impact and promoting responsible bird feeding practices. Happy feeding!
