Fruit-eating sparrows?

[jezlee]

For years now I have been cutting apples in half and putting out on my lawn for the blackbirds to eat – they seem to love them! It had only been the blackbirds I had ever seen eating them until this year, when I first noticed starlings pecking at them, and now my resident flock of house sparrows seem to have developed a taste for them! Has anyone else noticed this behaviour in their sparrows?

[HanDiiMaNz]

Originally Posted by jezlee

For years now I have been cutting apples in half and putting out on my lawn for the blackbirds to eat – they seem to love them! It had only been the blackbirds I had ever seen eating them until this year, when I first noticed starlings pecking at them, and now my resident flock of house sparrows seem to have developed a taste for them! Has anyone else noticed this behaviour in their sparrows?

Hello,

Sparrows will happily take apple if it's readily availble. But I haven't noticed this with the house sparrows in my area, and I have an apple tree! Fruit is a part of their diet as is it for most birds!

Thanks, HanD.

[Cowgirl]

Nah, my sparrows (& blackbirds for that matter) would rather let them rot. Grapes & soaked sultanas on the other hand......

[TeresaW]

Dried figs for my songthrush. I think it thinks it's a snail, and was even seen to bash it on the stone. Certainly made short work of them anyway.


Are our wild birds getting too used to being fed by us, and have developed a rather discerning palate?

[STYRBJORN]

Bit confused here. Fruit eating sparrows? I can well imagine sparrows eating fruit but predatory pears?
Or have I misunderstood something?

STYRBJORN

[greenace233]

Hi

I have starlings who eat the apples, tomatoes, strawberies as well as the blackbirds. The sparrows are starting to copy the blackbirds as they too are starting to go on the large table and not the feeders. In fact all the smaller birds are starting to prefer the table food. I have to say they are all getting very fussy, only eating certain bits but i guess there is more natural food this time of the year. I also have a sparrow who is best friends with a male balckbird, always together. Facinating to watch. Not much work is getting done at the momment. Always remember everyone to leave plenty of water out for them to drink and bath in. debbie