Wood pigeon eating bread?

[~T~]

Is this normal? I've only ever seen them eat seed. I've just looked out into the garden and there are 3 woodies there eating, 2 are pecking away at seeds and one is absolutely wolfing down bits of wholemeal bread I chucked out for the sparrows and stuff.

[Farplace]

Yes I have occasionally seen woodies eating bread. Especially in parks where there are also feral pigeons.

[aeshna5]

Very common behaviour for those that frequent town parks/gardens.

[artdemole]

The pigeon seems to like the wholemeal better than the white.No nutrition in white.,...

[sunnydale]

The Wood Pigeons around here will eat almost anything that my neighbour puts out for them!

Bread, cake, meat fat.....and even cheese!

[~T~]

Haha I live in a reasonably upmarket area so maybe it's a riff raff woody from out of town

[tigertom]

Same hear: seem to eat what ever they can get even some cat food put out for my local hedgehogs. though the best one was, I was wondering were all niger seed was going form one of my feeders its hung above hedge and woodys were landing right on top of hedge then just about reaching it would empty it in a day its higher up now as only got the one out at moment for pair of redpolls. woodys got to do with what out for them now and put a stop to them eating hedgehogs food dos not go out till dark unless hogs out early.

[Synn]

I've seen them eat bread before too, and not just bread, if you throw a monkey nut for a squirrel in Queen's Park, the Woodies come in and swallow the monkeynut whole!

[exo]

Um, stuffing it down their necks,
that's my observation of wood pigeons & bread.

Can't quite see how they can fit it all in sometimes !
something to do with their enormous crops I guess.

[witham]

it is always best to soak the bread first if possible though as it can cause problems particularly with the smaller birds when they woof it down dry as it can swell up inside them and give them the equivalent I suppose of bad indigestion even sometimes causing death