Can I feed birds kitchen scraps?

[WilliamF]

We're about to move to a house with a small back yard having lived in a flat for the past 6 years. Having any outside space is a complete novalty to us and the kids are already excited about feeding the birds.

My question is, what kitchen scraps, if any, are safe to feed birds and are there any I should avoid feeding them.

Or is it best to just stick to propper bird seed?

[Janec]

Hi William,
According to the RSPB Birdfeeder Handbook you can feed the following kitchen scraps:
Crusts and crumbs, bread, cake and plain biscuits
Split open cooked potatoes in their jackets
Cooked rice and pasta
Uncooked pastry
Apples and pears
Dried out cheese crumbled or grated
Lumps of fat, bacon rind
Tinned catfood
NEVER FEED desiccated coconut or uncooked rice as these can swell up inside the bird.
Take care though how you position these and how much you put out at a time as other things of the rodent variety will also be attracted.
It might be better to put out hanging feeders with peanuts, fat balls (not in their nets), seed etc.
Happy watching!

[Kayleigh]

Hi and welcome to WAB.


Seeds will attract seed eaters like sparrows, dunnocks, blue tits and such like kitchen scraps will attract lots of starlings and if left on the ground rats..
You can feed things without salt it really depends on what you want to attract to your garden.
Flowers in pots and in the garden will attract insects so bring in more birds.
Get a couple of feeders or a bird-table and if you have room some water would be appreciated.

[Billabong Karen]

Welcome to the joys of owning a garden! In addition to the above advice, if you want to encourage birds to your garden you should try to plant things that feed them naturally - shrubs that have berries, for instance, and also flowering plants that attract bees and other insects (also food for birds).

A small pond is very rewarding, and your children will love it... but maybe you have enough to do for this year! In which case, a birdbath is recommended. Lots of birds will use it for drinking, and watching them splash about is a joy to behold.

You can also put up nesting boxes, now is a good time.

We'd love to see photos of your garden, if you want to post some.

Have fun - and this is the right place to come for advice and comments!

[WilliamF]

Thanks for the advice guys - that's really useful. I think we'll perhaps invest in a table and maybe a few feeders.

Can you hang feeders by the window, or is there a danger birds will fly into the glass.

Sorry for all the dumb questions, but this really is all new to me and the last thing I want to do is harm any birds.

@Billabong Karen Wre're not moved in quite yet, but once we do I'll be sure to post some photos (you might have to remind me!) Oh and I'll put up a nesting box too!

[Kayleigh]

Posting pics on the garden thread is a great way to let us give the best advice.
If you have the space then I would recommend a Berberis shrub as these are very spiky they give protection to roosting birds so encourage them to live in your garden.
Here are some members gardens if you need some inspiration.

Try to keep feeders not too close to windows but close enough to be able to watch them without disturbing them if they see you they will get spooked.


WAB Members' Garden Photos

[~T~]

Originally Posted by Janec

Hi William,
According to the RSPB Birdfeeder Handbook you can feed the following kitchen scraps:
Crusts and crumbs, bread, cake and plain biscuits
Split open cooked potatoes in their jackets
Cooked rice and pasta
Uncooked pastry
Apples and pears
Dried out cheese crumbled or grated
Lumps of fat, bacon rind
Tinned catfood
NEVER FEED desiccated coconut or uncooked rice as these can swell up inside the bird.
Take care though how you position these and how much you put out at a time as other things of the rodent variety will also be attracted.
It might be better to put out hanging feeders with peanuts, fat balls (not in their nets), seed etc.
Happy watching!

I thought the uncooked rice thing was an old wives tale.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by WilliamF

Thanks for the advice guys - that's really useful. I think we'll perhaps invest in a table and maybe a few feeders.

Can you hang feeders by the window, or is there a danger birds will fly into the glass.
........

As listed by Janec, you can give them most anything but avoid meat and things cooked in meat sauce/gravy: they're not particularly useful for most birds but very attractive to mammals of all sizes! Jane list cooked pasta - I have yet to find any birds eating this, even pigeons and magpies!

Best not to hang feeders too close to the house: as you mention, they may bump into windows although this rather depends where the light is. Another problem is that food will drop to the ground, attracting rodents and squirrels. A wide, hanging tray under feeders can prevent this.

There's a lot to be learned from trial and error! Good luck.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by ~T~

I thought the uncooked rice thing was an old wives tale.

It's what my mother told me
I see no point/value in putting out uncooked rice (or pasta) - there are cheaper things to give birds! On the other hand, I've seen little to suggest that they would swell up in a birds alimentary tract or, if they did, they would be large anough to cause an obstruction.
So, I wouldn't put it out for the birds because I would be wasting good food: a crime in my eyes

[artdemole]

Gulls and Corvids eat any thing round here....