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What birds eat raisins


Can Birds Eat Raisins? The Sweet Treat That Birds Love!

by Sophie Herlihy

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One of the many joys of the outdoors is taking some time to feed the birds. It’s a fun way to get close-up views of your backyard feathered friends while helping them out with a little snack. If you’re wondering whether or not you can share raisins with the birds, the answer is yes!

There are many different types of wild birds, and each has its own dietary needs. In general, however, most birds can eat raisins safely.

Raisins are a good source of natural sugar and nutrients, and they can be a healthy treat for your feathered friends. Just be sure to offer them in moderation, as too many raisins can cause digestive issues.

Here’s a little more info to help you decide when and how to share this yummy healthy food with your backyard birds.

What Kind of Birds Can Eat Raisins?

North America is blessed with an abundance of native bird species, and many of them enjoy raisins. The following are just a few examples of wild birds that can safely eat raisins:

These are just a few of the many bird species that enjoy raisins. So, if you see a bird eating raisins from your bird feeder, chances are it’s one of these varieties.

Giving Your Backyard Birds a Raisin Treat

If you’re looking for a fun and easy way to treat your garden birds, raisins are a great option with plenty of health benefits. Simply place a small handful of raisins in your bird feeder, and watch as the birds come flocking!

Not only will the birds enjoy their delicious snack, but you’ll also get to enjoy some up-close views of your feathered friends.

In addition to feeding raisins out as they are, there are also a few other ways you can incorporate them into your bird-feeding routine.

Soaking

Soaking raisins in hot water for a few minutes can help plump them up, making them an even more irresistible treat for the birds.

After soaking, simply drain the water and place the raisins in your bird feeder.

A Sweet Addition to Nectar Mix

Don’t throw away the water you drain from your soaked raisins!

During the soaking process, sugars and nutrients leach out of raisins and into the water. This sugary water makes a great addition to the nectar mix.

Simply add it to your homemade or store-bought nectar solution for an extra boost of sweetness and nutrients.

Mix Into Homemade Suet

Is your bird feeder feeling a little empty? Mixing in some raisins is a great way to add bulk and variety.

Create homemade suet by combining equal parts of suet, raisins, and other bird-friendly ingredients like nuts, seeds, or dried fruit. Mix everything together well, then shape it into balls or logs.

This suet mix can be stored in the fridge and will last for several weeks. Replenish your bird feeding station with this mixture often, and the birds will keep coming back for more.

The Nutritional Value of Raisins for Birds

Raisins are a good source of natural sugar and nutrients, making them a good source of energy and a healthy treat for wild birds.

Raisins are also particularly high in dietary fiber, which can benefit birds in a number of ways. Fiber helps keep birds’ digestive systems healthy and can help prevent problems like constipation. In addition, fiber is important for birds’ overall health and can help boost their immune systems.

In addition, raisins contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Here are just a few of the many nutrients found in raisins:

Raisins also contain small amounts of other nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium.

Feeding raisins to your backyard birds is a great way to give them a nutritious treat.

Is There Such a Thing as Too Many Raisins?

While raisins are a great treat for birds, it’s important to remember that they should not be used as a bird’s main food source.

Wild birds need a varied diet of seeds, fruits, and insects to stay healthy. So, while raisins can be an occasional nice treat, they shouldn’t be the only thing you’re feeding your feathered friends.

Too many raisins can also cause health issues in birds as an excess of fiber may lead to bloating and gastric upset. So, if you do offer them raisins, be sure to do so in moderation.

And, as with any treat, make sure to clean up any raisins that fall to the ground to prevent attracting unwanted critters.

Different Types of Raisins

While all raisins are essentially dried grapes, there is a wide variety of different types available.

The type of raisins you choose to feed your backyard birds is up to you, all are safe to feed. Each will offer slightly different nutritional benefits, so you may choose to mix up the varieties:

In addition to raisin treats, birds can also enjoy fresh grapes.

Final Thoughts

There are many healthy snacks you can find in your pantry that are perfect for backyard birds.

Raisins are a great option because they offer many nutritional benefits and can be easily mixed into a bird’s diet.

So, the next time you’re looking for a healthy treat to share with your feathered friends, reach for the raisins!

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Sophie Herlihy

After an early start in the veterinary industry and as a conservation educator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, Sophie has since been a successful Zookeeper and Conservationist, specializing in native New Zealand species. When she isn't bird watching in native forests or crawling through the underbrush at midnight searching for rare frog species, she can be found with her husband on their sheep and beef station, far from civilization.

10 Fruits you should be feeding backyard birds

If you are only feeding birds birdseed, suet and nectar you are missing out!

There are many colorful summer birds that don't eat seeds and don't normally come to your feeders. You can attract them to your yard by offering fruit at your feeder. You might be surprised what other feeder visitors you may get throughout the year by offering fruits.

Which birds eat fruit? Thrushes (including robins and bluebirds), tanagers, thrashers, orioles, jays, mockingbirds, woodpeckers and others will eat fruits. Some birds thought of as seed eaters will enjoy fruit, too.

It is not expensive to feed birds fruit. I tell you how to feed fruit to birds at a low cost.

In this article
What backyard birds eat fruit?
Kinds of fruit that birds eat (with chart)
How to feed birds fruit
Other considerations

Western Tanager eating an orange.
Would you like to have this bird in your yard?
Photo by Greg Gillson

What backyard birds eat fruit?

What kinds of birds eat fruit? Birds that eat primarily fruit are termed frugivorous. Such birds likely also eat insects to supply protein to their diet. Most frugivorous birds, for instance, feed their nestlings primarily insects.

A less common term is baccivorous, describing any animal that eats primarily berries. In North America berries generally appear only briefly some time in summer or fall. Birds that eat berries in summer and fall will eat insects, grubs and other invertebrates the rest of the year. The term for birds that primarily eat insects is insectivorous.

Other birds are omnivorous, eating a wide variety of foods, including insects, grain, small animals, seeds, berries, and fruit. Some omnivorous birds (jays, crows, starlings, grackles) are undesirable as backyard birds because they tend to be aggressive, to be found around human trash, may eat other birds' eggs or nestlings, and quickly gobble up all the food at bird feeders.

Carnivorous birds, hawks and owls are unlikely to eat fruit.

Granivorous birds, seed eaters such as finches, also eat fruit when available. Apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums, and cherries are some of the orchard fruit crops that House Finches sometimes eat.
True insectivorous birds include most flycatchers. Surprisingly, they eat fruit and berries too, but probably rarely at feeders.

Sparrows, buntings, cardinals, and grosbeaks, which eat primarily seeds, feed primarily insects to their young (and also eat insects as adults), and would also occasionally eat fruit. We think of them as seed-eaters, but they have a wider diet.

Tanagers eat primarily insects, but also fruit and berries. They eat oranges, too.

Orioles eat insects, fruit, and nectar. They love oranges!

Thrushes, including bluebirds and American robins eat insects, fruit, and berries. The American Robin eats about 40% invertebrates such as worms, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and about 60% fruit.
Catbirds, mockingbirds, and thrashers are omnivores, eating insects and fruit. Up to 50% of the diet of Gray Catbird is fruit and berries.

Waxwings eat insects and berries. They eat fruit such as cherries.

Woodpeckers eat fruit and berries along with their typical insect and nut diet. Red-bellied Woodpeckers visit feeders for fruit. Sapsuckers visit orchards in winter to eat old apples still hanging on the trees.

Warblers eat berries and fruit. Yellow-rumped Warblers, that spend the winter farther north than most others eat berries and fruit in winter.

Quails, turkeys, and pheasants will eat berries. If you live on the edge of farmlands you may have these birds visit your backyard.

Kinds of fruit that birds eat

These are the fruits and the types of birds typically listed as eating them. This is not a complete list.

1. Apples

What kinds of birds eat apples? Birds that eat apples include buntings, cardinals, grosbeaks, mockingbirds, thrashers, waxwings, wrens.

The crabapple is North American's only native apple. But you may grow apple trees and leave some fruit on the tree for birds in winter. Birds can eat the older rotting apples, but you can also slice ripe ones up and offer them on your feeder.

Some additional specific birds that do eat apples include Eastern Bluebird, Gray Catbird, American Crow, House Finch, Purple Finch, Blue Jay, American Robin, Red-breasted Sapsucker, European Starling, Eastern Towhee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Red-headed Woodpecker.

2. Oranges

What kinds of birds eat oranges? Birds that eat oranges include bluebirds, catbirds, grosbeaks, mockingbirds, orioles, robins, tanagers, thrashers, towhees, waxwings, woodpeckers.

Many birds can eat oranges. They can be offered as orange-halves or sliced.

Some additional specific birds that do eat oranges include Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Baltimore Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Western Tanager, Brown Thrasher, Red-bellied Woodpecker.

3. Purple grapes

What kinds of birds eat grapes? Birds that eat grapes include bluebirds, catbirds, grosbeaks, mockingbirds, robins, tanagers, towhees, waxwings, woodpeckers.

In many places there grows wild grapes. You may add these to your landscaping. Birds can eat grapes right off the vine! You may cut them in half to make it easier for the birds to eat grapes.

Some additional specific birds that do eat grapes include Northern Cardinal, Northern Flicker, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, Veery, Red-eye Vireo, Downy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker.

4. Grape jelly

What kinds of birds eat grape jelly? Birds that eat grape jelly include catbirds, orioles, House Finches.

5. Raisins

What kinds of birds eat raisins? Birds that eat raisins include bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds, orioles, robins, waxwings.

6. Blueberries

What kinds of birds eat blueberries? Birds that eat blueberries include bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds, waxwings.

7. Cranberries

What kinds of birds eat cranberries? Birds that eat cranberries include bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds, waxwings.

8. Cherries

What kinds of birds eat cherries? Birds that eat cherries include bluebirds, catbirds, finches, mockingbirds, waxwings.

9. Currants

What kinds of birds eat currants? Birds that eat currants include bluebirds, catbirds, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, waxwings.

10. Blackberries

What kinds of birds eat blackberries? Birds that eat blackberries include orioles, waxwings, robins, Western Tanagers, Golden-crowned Sparrows, Spotted Towhees.

This is not a complete list. What other fruits and berries are sold at your local markets? If you eat them, then birds will eat them. Plums, pears, mangoes, watermelons, pumpkins, squashes, cantaloupes, strawberries, huckleberries, bananas, grapefruits. You no doubt can think of things I'm missing!

You can also plant many trees and bushes that produce berries that birds love. Many of these are  not often eaten by people: mulberries, elderberries, holly, Oregon grape, juniper. Many shrubs sold as hedges produce berries that birds will eat. You should check your local nursery for native shrubs that will grow in your area and local birds are already used to eating.

Here is a chart of common fruits fed to birds at feeders and some of the birds noted to frequently eat them.

BirdApplesOrangesGrapesRaisinsCherries
 bluebirdsyesyesyesyesyes
 cardinalsyesyes
 catbirdsyesyesyesyesyes
 finchesyesyes
 grosbeaksyesyesyes
 mockingbirdsyesyesyesyesyes
 oriolesyesyesyes
 robinsyesyesyesyes
 tanagersyesyes
 thrashersyesyes
 towheesyesyesyes
 waxwingsyesyesyesyes
 woodpeckersyesyesyes

Note: Many of the lists from which this chart was compiled were created for birds of the Eastern United States. There is every reason to believe western counterparts would equally eat the listed fruits. For instance, "bluebirds" usually refer to Eastern Bluebird. But Western Bluebird and Mountain Bluebird would also likely eat the same fruits. "Cardinals" refer to Northern Cardinal, "catbirds" refer to Gray Catbird, "grosbeaks" refer to Rose-breasted Grosbeak, "mockingbirds" refer to Northern Mockingbird, "orioles" refer to Baltimore Oriole, "robins" refer to American Robin, "tanagers" refer to Scarlet Tanager, "thrashers" refer to Brown Thrasher, "towhees" refer to Eastern Towhee, "waxwings" refer to Cedar Waxwing, "woodpeckers" refer to Red-bellied Woodpecker.

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I have written several articles on choosing binoculars. Let me save you the trouble of reading them all. I really love my Celestron 8x42 Nature DX ED (purchase with this Amazon affiliate link that supports this blog). They sell for well under $200. You won't have buyer's remorse. 

How to feed birds fruit

How to prepare fruit for birds

The easiest way to prepare either fresh or dried fruit for birds is to cut it in pieces. You should try both larger and smaller pieces of fruit to see if any birds prefer one size over another.

Oranges may be offered in sections. However, they are often offered by cutting in half crosswise. Do not peel.

Similarly, apples may be offered cut into slices or the apple may be cut in half lengthwise. Do not peel or core.

Raisins and dried fruits like cranberries can be soaked in water over night before being offered to birds.
Commercial dried fruit: some bird foods at your local market may offer a "nut, fruit & berry" blend. These are made for hopper and platform bird feeders. There may also be "tropical fruit" bird foods prepared for parrots that wild birds may eat.

How to offer fruit to birds

Fruit may be placed out directly on the ground or on the tray of your platform bird feeder. Better, cut up pieces may be placed in a small glass bowl so it isn't scattered about.

However, there is always the risk that a jay or crow will come by and snatch all the fruit and carry it off. Thus, it may be prudent to contain or hold down the fruit. How?

Mesh "onion bags" may be used to keep fruit in. Birds will then pull individual pieces through. [See warning from reader in comments below about birds potentially getting caught in these bags.]

In summer it is too hot to feed suet. Instead, clean up those metal suet cages and fill with larger pieces of fruit for the birds to nibble on. [Also see comments section below for feeding suet in warmer temperatures. A suet cage is still a practical way to offer fruit to birds.]

Oranges and apples may be cut in half and impaled on a tree branch, nail, or special "oriole" bird feeder equipped with a spike to hold fruit.

A project perhaps for the young, you may "sew" pieces of fruit onto thread and make a garland to drape over a bush or small tree.

How to feed birds fruit cheaply from kitchen scraps

When you wash purple concord grape clusters (I don't think many birds will eat green varieties of grapes) you'll find bruised, split, and some with crusty scabs sometimes. Instead of throwing them out, feed them to the birds!

Sometimes you get bags of oranges and find many are unripe and tasteless. They sit on your counter hoping to ripen. But eventually they get soft on the bottom before they get edible. Instead of throwing them out, cut them in half and give them to the birds!

The same is true of most other fruit.

Save the seeds from pumpkins, squashes, and melons to feed the birds.

The rinds of melons with some flesh still attached can be saved for birds.

Pick up any windfall fruit you find. Cut away the bruises and feed the rest of it to the birds.

Freeze excess summer and fall fruit to feed birds in winter.

Other considerations

Don't feed birds spoiled or fermented food. If it has mold on it, throw it away (or compost it). Do not leave spoiled fruit out where it will attract pests.

Perhaps more than other foods you may feed birds, fruit will go bad fast. Be prepared to remove it from your feeder when it goes bad. This is why it may be good to freeze excess fruit and only put out as much fruit as the birds will eat in a day or two.

If you don't clean up the fruit, or put too much out at once, you'll soon have ants and insect pests, rodents, raccoons, opossums, skunks, dogs, coyotes, or bears visiting! For this reason feed fruit farther away from your house, to keep pests away.

Related: Feeding birds orange halves

Related: Thistle and the birds that eat it

Related: Best type of sunflower seeds for birds

Related: Where to hang a suet feeder for best results

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How to feed birds in winter - do no harm!

The construction of winter bird feeders with children is a great tradition that they began to forget in vain. But in this way you help a variety of birds to survive the cold in a harsh time, when there is little food, and teach children to protect nature and take care of our smaller brothers.

Yes, you will provide yourself with a plus and a reserve for the future - do not forget that birds are excellent helpers for a gardener. Lure them to your summer cottage in winter - and in the warm season they will "thank you" a hundredfold by massively destroying garden pests and their offspring.

Although sometimes bird feeders-houses "from the Internet" sometimes look like real hand-made masterpieces and can simply decorate your garden to feed the birds in winter, you do not need to put in a lot of effort and look for some unusual materials for "building". To build a simple feeder, any means at hand are suitable - plastic bottles, pieces of plywood, even cans and plastic packaging from dairy products. Believe me - feathered visitors do not care where to get food from, the feeder should only be strong and stable enough to support their weight.

So, "why and why" it is worth feeding the birds, we figured it out, but the question "what to feed the birds in winter" is more complicated. Many believe that those "hungry" peck any high-calorie food in the cold - from chips and salted nuts to butter cookies with raisins or any moldy leftover cereal from the kitchen drawer. Do not do it this way! Birds will really peck all this - and in the end they will get, at best, an upset of the digestive system, and at worst - a very unpleasant death from poisoning with products that are not intended for bird stomachs. You don't want that, do you?

Even when you use good food that is healthy for birds, you should understand that your task is not to feed all the surrounding “freeloader” birds around the clock all winter long, but only to help them survive a particularly harsh time. Do not immediately pour mountains of food, replenish the feeder about once a day, as it is empty. Wild birds must remain wild, and the ability to independently seek and obtain food is an important part of their life.

So, what is the best way to feed forest and city birds in winter?

Let's start with the most logical thing that comes to mind right away - sunflower seeds. Is it so? Yes, almost all birds love them, from titmouses and sparrows to pigeons and ducks. This is a high-calorie (which is very important in cold weather) tasty food, rich in trace elements and vitamins, which is also easily digestible.

But an important clarification - the seeds must be raw and unsalted! Firstly, frying "kills" most of the nutrients in the seeds, and, secondly, it adds external "fat" to them, which is already excessive for the bird's gastrointestinal tract and can provoke its various disorders. Table salt in its pure form, in principle, is a poison for most wild birds of our latitudes, their excretory system simply cannot cope, especially for young animals. As for the size of the seeds, it is better to choose small enough so that any feathered guest can easily "cope" with the treat.

In addition to sunflower seeds, raw linseed and hemp seeds, oily gourd seeds - pumpkin, watermelon, melon - and dense oat flakes without additives are perfect for placing in the feeder. And many more in the winter will like crushed raw nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts) - even jays with woodpeckers can be flattered by such a treat.

Is it possible to feed birds in winter with cereals and grains - millet, buckwheat, millet, oats, pearl barley and others? Let's say right away that birds simply cannot digest large dry cereals like rice and buckwheat. Raw can be given, perhaps, only oats, millet and wheat. But in a boiled form (without salt!) Any cereal is suitable for birds.

But most sources of millet are categorically not recommended for birds. Let's explain why. Millet is obtained from millet by peeling grain shells, which in itself already leads to a relative depletion of the composition. And the remaining "naked" grain is prone to rapid oxidation of fatty acids in the composition, especially in the light and in the open air. You have probably at least once encountered a situation where "millet is bitter." In culinary practice, this property is removed by soaking cereals before cooking and subsequent heat treatment. Birds get just raw grain - and, being oxidized, it has a very bad effect on the digestive system and gradually worsens overall well-being. Of course, feeding millet does not mean that all the birds that eat it can die - but why take the risk?

For the same reason, it is strictly forbidden for wild birds to add any "leftovers from the table" to the feeder (this includes leftovers from the refrigerator and kitchen cabinets) - not only is human food basically not intended for birds due to the addition of salt, fats, preservatives, dyes and other substances, then, after lying down (not to mention the molding process), it is additionally "enriched" with harmful toxins and impurities.

The same goes for store-bought ready-to-eat snacks - bread and beer crackers, all chips and crackers, cookies, any salted or sweet nuts, corn flakes, popcorn and puffed rice - all this is poison to birds!

Is it true that birds enjoy lard and butter in winter? Not all, but some will like such complementary foods - the same titmouse. Only lard should be unsalted, and small pieces of butter should be frozen. In the same category of acceptable additives in the feeder, we include unsalted beef or chicken fat.

Is it possible to feed birds in winter with fresh and dry bread, bran or crackers? It would seem - of course, without question! After all, bread is baked from grain flour, and if it is not filled with additives like sugar, candied fruit or garlic, then it is perfect for birds, right? Not this way.

Almost any fresh pastry, even simple grain bread without additives, will surely “ferment” in the digestive tract of birds, causing a lot of trouble to the birds, up to death. So, only well-dried unleavened bread, and only white bread (it is much less sour and salty), can be crumbled into the feeder. And of course, bread for bird feed should never be moldy.

Are fresh fruits, berries and dried fruits good for birds too? Some of the birds will really appreciate such a treat. Tits, jays, siskins, thrushes, bullfinches, waxwings will enjoy chopped dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, dates), dried berries of mountain ash, viburnum, wild grapes and hawthorn, slices of fresh apples, chopped into branches.

Some compassionate citizens, "so that it doesn't get lost", even add banana peels and citrus skins to the birds in the feeder - this should not be done in any case!

Is it possible to give "street" birds in winter specialized food for ornamental birds - parrots or canaries? Yes, if it is the simplest herbal granules or grain mixtures. Meal worms are also suitable for wild birds from the "cultural" diet for pets. Only all types of compound feed for farm animals are banned - again, due to the large amount of harmful additives and salt.

What other products are suitable for our winter bird feeders? For example, low-fat cottage cheese without additives and chopped boiled eggs - almost all birds will like them. The welded small fish will be appreciated by wintering waterfowl. Some feathered guests can "gnaw" even the cones of coniferous trees. And if you and your kids pick up maple lionfish in the fall and dry them, in winter they will be an excellent addition to the diet of birds flying to the site or window sill.

When hanging a feeder in the garden or on the window, the first thing to think about is the safety of the birds. If you install a feeder on a balcony or in a winter veranda, the birds will fly in through an open window, feed, but may not find their way back and will beat against the glass in fear. Therefore, it is better to hang the feeder in the garden in an open area. And so that the cat does not get to the birds, the feeder should be located at a height of at least 120-150 cm from ground level.

Let's summarize the above information in a small table:

Helping our feathered neighbors survive the most severe cold is not at all difficult. You just need to make the simplest feeder and add treats there from time to time. And in order not to harm the birds, just save our infographic indicating harmful and useful products.

What can and cannot be fed to birds in winter? Products from our table. Photo — Botanichka

Feeding wild wintering birds in your garden or park is not just an act of mercy to our smaller brothers, but also a contribution to the future harvest. According to ornithologists, one tit can save up to 10 trees from pests per season, and one feeder provides food for up to 50 tits! The fact that sunflower seeds are most often poured into the feeder is known even to a child. But there are many different kitchen wastes that can also become a source of food for birds. Some foods on our table are perfect for birds, while others can do more harm than good. Let's take a closer look at what you can and cannot feed birds.

What can and cannot be fed to birds in winter?

What is the best food for feeding wild birds?

The high nutritional value and high calorie content of the food will give the birds a lot of energy and provide them with fat reserves that will help the birds survive the cold winter nights. Therefore, you need to feed the birds in your garden with quality food.

Most types of garden birds will enjoy sunflower seeds, nuts, and live or dried mealworms. For convenience, you can use ready-made specialized high-quality mixtures for birds. At the same time, choose a food containing a large amount of sunflower and millet seeds. Mixtures with a lot of unappetizing fillers, such as wheat and corn, are not very attractive to birds.

Avoid seed mixtures containing beans, peas, rice and lentils. Only large species of birds can eat them in a dry form, but these very rarely fly to the feeders. But prepared bird food and sunflower seeds are not the only suitable foods you can feed birds with.

By using kitchen waste as bird feed, you are using excess food for a good cause. But you could just throw them away! By turning waste into bird food, you have nothing to lose. And the birds at the same time enjoy a wide variety of food, flying to the feeders again and again.

Attention: do not forget that specialized mixtures or sunflower seeds should serve as the basis of the diet when feeding birds. If birds didn't eat anything other than kitchen waste, they wouldn't be able to get enough nutrients for healthy growth and energy. At the same time, malnutrition can lead to health problems, such as obesity or deformed feathers. To avoid harm, offer food waste in limited quantities.

The most frequent visitor to the feeders is the common great tit, which is able to eat a variety of types of food. © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

The best products for birds from our table

Fruits and berries without seeds or seeds

Many fruits, berries, raisins, fresh grapes and even bananas and oranges can be used to feed birds. They are sure to love this meal. While many birds will enjoy fruits in hot countries, those birds that stay with us for the winter will also get the opportunity to feast on a vitamin supplement.

Arrange sliced ​​apples, tangerine slices, banana slices, grape halves and melon peels inside feeders, hang them on thorns or thin tree branches, and the birds will certainly appreciate the treat. Crushed or dried fruits and berries (such as cranberries) can be strung on a string to create a garland that will not only feed the birds, but also decorate the garden.

Boiled Rice

Leftovers from cooked brown or white rice often end up in the kitchen, and wild birds in your garden will love rice porridge. Some species of birds, such as pigeons and turtledoves, are able to eat both raw brown and polished rice. However, other species are unlikely to enjoy it, as the grains will seem too hard to them.

Pasta

Leftover cooked pasta can also go into the feeder. In this case, the pasta should be soft, and before serving, they should be cut into small enough pieces so that the birds can hold them in their beaks. However, never give birds pasta that has been seasoned with rich sauces, hot spices, or melted sticky cheeses.

Vegetables

In the wild, birds eat a wide variety of plant foods, and sliced ​​vegetables can also be a welcome treat for them. Birds can be offered pumpkin, frozen green peas or corn (before putting them in the feeder, they should first be thawed). Pieces of canned vegetables from vegetable mixtures can also be occasionally offered to birds.

Lard

Due to its very high calorie content, lard is one of the best products on our table that can be offered to birds. This is an excellent winter food for birds! Lard is found in bird treats combined with a variety of ingredients, allowing it to be used to attract different types of birds.

Seeds, nuts, seeds and melted bacon treats can be shaped into various shapes such as balls, bells and rings to enhance your bird feeding experience. You can also cut the lard into sticks or grate so that even more birds can taste it. Attention! Only unsalted lard is used to feed the birds!

Read also our article Flower garden for birds.

Lard as top dressing should be unsalted. © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

Boiled potatoes

It may seem implausible, but not only people, but also birds like to eat potatoes. You can feed the birds leftover fried potatoes from your table, offer them mashed potatoes or a whole boiled potato. These dishes are guaranteed to be popular with your feathered friends. However, avoid processed potatoes such as potato chips.

Peanuts and various nuts

Peanuts are a high-calorie, high-fat food that attracts many wild birds, including jays, sparrows, and tits. Because nuts don't freeze to become hard, they're perfect for winter feeding, whether you offer shelled or shelled peanuts.

But never offer birds peanuts with any additives, or with chocolate or other coatings. Also be aware that peanuts can contain large amounts of a natural toxin that causes bird deaths. Therefore, it is ideal to buy a peanut that is designed specifically for feeding birds (can be found at a pet store). Other nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pecans are also attractive to birds. All nuts must be raw (not fried).

Oatmeal and flakes

Oatmeal is also great for many birds. Oatmeal can be a good source of nutritious food for the birds in your garden. Moreover, such top dressing is easily available and is often available in our kitchen. But still, it is best to use raw oats, including oatmeal, for feeding birds, as boiled oatmeal can harden around the bird's beak.

Cereals

Millet attracts mainly house sparrows, pigeons, finches and cane buntings (if they winter in your area). However, many ornithologists do not recommend feeding birds with millet, as it has few nutrients and quickly oxidizes in the open air, which is not good for birds. In its raw form, millet and wheat are suitable for birds. And almost any cereal boiled without salt can be used, including buckwheat.

Eggs and eggshells

Boiled chicken eggs can be added to the feeder as they contain many important nutrients for birds. Crushed eggshells are also good for birds, as they are an important source of calcium for all kinds of birds and help the digestion process well.

Pumpkin seeds

When cutting pumpkins, we often end up with a whole mountain of seeds, why not offer them to birds? Pumpkin seeds are very nutritious for birds, especially in autumn when they need more energy to migrate, molt and store fat to withstand the cold. Pumpkin seeds are high in carbohydrates and fats. They are a good source of protein, various micronutrients and nutrients that are essential for a complete diet for wild birds.

Raw seeds, freshly removed from the pumpkin, can be immediately poured into the feeder, or pre-dried. It is not necessary to grind the seeds, the birds themselves will cope with this task, tearing off pieces of the peel to get the pulp.

Rare species of birds can be seen near the feeders, for example, the grosbeak, which loves nuts. © Lyudmila Svetlitskaya

What should not be fed to birds?

Fruit pits or pome seeds

As mentioned above, most fruits are suitable for feeding birds, but it is important to avoid fruits that contain seeds or pits. If you are going to feed the birds in your garden with apples, pears, apricots, peaches, nectarines, or plums, be sure to completely remove any pits or seeds beforehand. The seeds and pits of these crops contain the toxic compound cyanide, but the seeded fruit is absolutely safe for birds to eat.

Dairy products

The digestive system of birds is not designed to properly digest milk. Eating dairy products can lead to stomach upset or even more serious health problems for birds, so never put a saucer of milk in the feeder.

Bread

Although bread is generally not harmful to birds, it is better not to feed them with bakery products in large quantities. Not only do they have a very low nutritional value, but they can also ferment in the digestive system of birds. This can lead to digestive problems up to the death of birds.

A small amount of dried crumbs will not bring any harm to birds. But it is better to use whole grain or white bread, while it should not contain spices and sweet additives. Moldy bread should never be offered to birds!

Chocolate

Just like us, birds can find it difficult to resist chocolate or chocolate-containing products. However, even in very small amounts, chocolate can be toxic to birds. This is because chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which can cause birds to vomit, diarrhea, increase heart rate, leading to hyperactivity, seizures, and sometimes even death.

Salt

Salt is an important mineral for many birds. But just as an excess of salt is not good for humans, it is also bad for birds. And even just a little salt is potentially toxic to a small bird. For example, just one salty cracker or cracker can upset the water and electrolyte balance in the tiny body of a bird. This can lead to severe thirst, dehydration, kidney failure, and ultimately death of the bird.

Onions and garlic

Many people think that onions and garlic, like other vegetables, are good for birds. However, both raw and cooked, they are toxic to many animals and birds. Onions contain sulfur compounds that can irritate the mucous membrane of the mouth and esophagus of birds, causing ulcers. Garlic contains allicin, another chemical that causes anemia and weakness in birds. So from spicy it is better to treat the bird with a small piece of pepper, rich in vitamin A.

Raw meat

Many birds are carnivores, but do not offer them raw meat in any form, including ground meat or meat scraps.

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