A lot of people feed winter period birds. And, not in vain. After all, in winter it is much more difficult for them to get food for themselves. And if the bird at least once remains hungry at night, then it will not live until morning. But there are so many benefits from them: they destroy pests and please with their chirping. So why not help them in a cold and difficult time of the year for them?

Bullfinch in winter.

However, you need to know some rules and features of how to do it correctly. After all, otherwise, human virtue can be fatally destructive for our feathered neighbors on the planet.

A little about the features of feeding birds

The very first thing that everyone who wants to help the birds needs to know is that they need to be fed, and not take full responsibility for food. Why? Yes, everything is very simple: the bird will definitely remember the place where food will be left for it and will fly there constantly. And, if food is always available, then she will simply lose the ability to get food for herself.

As a result, it may turn out that a person will abandon this occupation. It doesn’t matter for what reason: maybe he just won’t have time, or it will be connected with the move. A person will not even think about accustomed birds. And they can die of hunger because of this.

In addition, there is also a danger that birds, having ceased to obtain food for themselves on their own, may lose the intake of many useful and necessary substances for them, which they can only get by eating naturally.

Also, if you do feed, it would be best to accustom the birds to dinner in the feeder shortly before dark. So it will be possible to be sure that they will be full at night, which means that they will not freeze until morning.

The next feature is that not all products can be put in the feeder. Some of them are very harmful to birds. Many can cause them fatal harm. But more on that later.

And in this regard, it is worth knowing which birds will visit the feeder in order to choose the right food for them. Even better is to choose a menu that can suit all possible feathered visitors.

Mostly tits, sparrows, goldfinches, siskins and some other species fly there to feast. Basically, these birds are insectivorous. They do not fly for the winter, because they know that they can also get frozen insects from the bark of trees. However, despite this, there is still much less food for them in winter. These birds, in addition to insects, feed on grain, seeds, and berries. In summer and autumn, there are plenty of them for good nutrition. But in winter, no.

Feeders and woodpeckers can visit. And, of course, crows and magpies will not mind eating free treats. So, if it is supposed to feed precisely small birds, then you need to pay attention to the size of the future feeder. It will need to be made such that large birds cannot penetrate there.

Birds such as sparrows and tits perceive the neighborhood with a person calmly. They are usually regular visitors to the "bird canteens". These birds are city dwellers.

And if there is a desire to feed goldfinches, siskins or nuthatches, then it is best for them to place feeders outside the city in a quiet and peaceful place.

The female bullfinch flew to the feeder.
Tits and a woodpecker at the feeder.

We make a bird feeder

Making a bird feeder is not difficult at all. And, this can be done from almost any handy material. Not only planks can be used, but also plywood, plastic bottles and much more. But, it is very important not to forget that in winter it snows very often. And from him the feeder can simply get wet. Then you have to make a new one. So, it’s better to make one right away that can last all winter. So, the material for it must be chosen moisture resistant.

When making a feeder, remember that it will be convenient for the birds to eat from it. They must be free to get food. Of course, there should not be any sharp and cutting parts that the bird can get hurt on.

You should also take care that the future feeder is as well protected as possible from snow getting into it and from the fact that the food can be scattered by the wind. But, with all this, one must not forget about its convenience for birds.

It is best to place feeders on the branches of trees. You can mount them on buildings. They should be located higher. So it will be better for the birds to notice it and also, it will be safer for them. After all, during the meal, a predator can sneak up, and the bird may not notice it.

What can not be put in bird feeders?

So, the feeder is ready. Now you need to fill it with a treat for the birds. What can be included in them and what not? After all, some products can be deadly for birds!

First, consider what absolutely can not be left as a treat for them. Firstly, in no case should you feed them products that have expired, musty, sour and fermented products. You can not feed them fried, too salty.

You can not pour sunflower seeds into their feeders. But many do this, not knowing about their harm to birds. You can not feed many of them with bread. Mostly small birds. A small amount of dry bread crumbs, however, is acceptable, especially for tits. Also, without fear, you can feed pigeons with bread. For others, it will cause indigestion. Pigeons are not afraid of this, due to their larger size. And the tit is almost omnivorous. And her digestive system is more receptive to many foods that are not suitable for others.

Almonds and fruit seeds can cause poisoning in birds. Also, do not pour millet for them. Mushrooms and potatoes, as well as rice, are difficult to digest. Therefore, they should not be placed in feeders either.

Birds should not be fed foods containing acetic acid and preservatives, various nutritional supplements, seasonings and spices. Naturally, canned food for their nutrition is also unacceptable. And, you can not leave for them food intended for pets: cats and dogs.

All of these foods listed here are very dangerous for birds. Some of them can cause poisoning, others - indigestion.

Sunflower tits.
The blue tit eats fat.
Rocky nuthatch eats in hand.

What can you feed the birds?

What is suitable for subcorking birds in winter? You can leave barley and oatmeal for them in the feeders. They will be safe for everyone. If you put bread crumbs, then they should be from a wheat roll. Also, they must be dry. Also, you can not pour only them. They must be mixed with something else. The only exception here is feeding pigeons. Many simply paint a loaf of bread for them, which they eat with pleasure.

Much more varied menu for tits. They can be treated with unsalted bacon, and hard-boiled eggs. The main thing is to grind the product. You can feed them with cottage cheese.

Since the birds feed on seeds and berries in their natural environment, it will be a good surprise for them to see this in the feeder. However, not all seeds should be poured there. About those that cannot be given to them, it has already been written above.

What are possible? Ideal for them are melon seeds, watermelons, cucumbers and zucchini, eggplant. Before serving these bird seeds, they should be washed and dried well after being removed from the vegetable. And only then it will be possible to feed them with birds in winter. Stocks of such food should be stored in a dry place. If it is supposed to feed small birds and pumpkin seeds are used for this, then they must first be crushed. After all, they will be too large for them, and the birds will not be able to chop them on their own.

Birds love to feast on dried fruits. You can cut into slices and dry apples, pears for them. Moreover, such a treat can simply be strung on a thread in the form of a garland and hung on a tree. Birds will peck at her with pleasure. You can also add dried rose hips to this composition. But other berries, such as rowan, for example, should not be plucked from a tree and then given to birds. They will peck at them from the branches anyway.

Oats are well suited for winter feeding of birds. Also, millet. It will be nice to add eggshells to the main feed. Of course, it does not need to be left in the feeders entirely. They need to be crushed, crushed. Such a food supplement will help strengthen the bone tissue of birds.

So, food can also be useful for them. And in general, it is very good to make mixtures from the listed products. So the bird's menu will be varied, more tasty and healthy.

Photo of a bullfinch in winter on a mountain ash.
Bullfinch male on a mountain ash.

Read more:

Feeding pigeons in the city with products such as bread, sweets, fried seeds is completely undesirable. Such food reduces their life to only 3 years instead of a possible 15. If everything is clear with sweets and fried foods, then the question arises: why is bread harmful to pigeons?

Pigeons can be carriers of infectious diseases, so hand-feeding is undesirable.

White wheat bread is less harmful to birds due to its "pomp" and less acidity. But it is also undesirable to give it to pigeons in large quantities.

Black (rye) bread is much more harmful to the health of birds than wheat. Rye bread swells after entering the digestive tract of pigeons. This can lead to blockage or volvulus. Black bread has a high acidity, which leads to fermentation in the stomach and, possibly, to dysbacteriosis. Starch and salt, which are contained in black bread, are very difficult for birds to digest. The accumulation of salt in the body will eventually lead to poisoning of the body. Therefore, the consumption of black bread by pigeons leads to a complete deterioration in health. And instead of being warmed by the energy released, the birds begin to get sick and freeze.

Pigeons need to be fed in winter, because at this time of the year they cannot find food for themselves.
In summer, birds only need to be fed a little with grain mixtures, because. in the city there is often a shortage of natural fodder.

Healthy food

So what to feed the pigeons in the city park so that they will please you and your children with their presence for a long time?

Pigeon lovers often keep birds at home, studying their habits and monitoring their health. Therefore, pigeons can be safely called pets.

Wild pigeons feed mainly on plant seeds, young tree branches, small bugs and insects. But in the city, usually the grass is mowed, and young bushes are cut down. Therefore, even in summer, you can feed the pigeons a little. They can be given grain mixtures that include barley, barley or wheat.

Pigeons always recognize the person who brings them food. Therefore, they, having mixed up, can “pounce” on a completely stranger.

You can include in the diet of pigeons cereals. Only you need to choose those that cook for a long time (not instant ones). Sometimes birds can be fed with seeds, but not fried. But even they are better not to overdo it, because they are quite fatty.

Winter promises to be cold. And therefore, the birds, accustomed to man, will especially need his support. But while doing a good deed, it is important to remember some simple rules so as not to harm the birds with their impulse.

If you undertook to feed, feed until spring

Most of all, small birds need human help - tits, bullfinches, blackbirds, nuthatches, tap dances, goldfinches, grosbeaks, sparrows. They have problems with food in winter. And feeders are made most often for them. Bullfinches and fieldfare thrushes can also feed on berries. This year, by the way, there are especially a lot of mountain ash and wild rose, which folk beliefs indicates an imminent cold winter. But tits do not eat berries, they need a different top dressing. “Feeding the birds is a very responsible business. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of how much, - said Anna Stekleneva, head of the laboratory environmental education ICG SB RAS. - If you hang a feeder, then you need to add food to it regularly until spring. What happens when you stop adding food? Birds remember well where they were fed. We have seen this in practice. The tit will fly to the same place and wait, instead of looking for other food places. It turns out that we are deceiving her. In the end, the bird may simply die of hunger. So, if you are not sure that you are ready to regularly replenish the feeder, it is better not to take it. ”

What food can kill a bird, and what can save?

“For some reason, many people add rice to the feeder, but this cannot be done! Anna Stekleneva explained. Rice tends to swell in the stomach. And at the same titmouse the stomach is scanty at all. Swollen rice will cause her suffering. This also applies to other cereals that swell on contact with humid environment: barley, buckwheat. From cereals, you can use oatmeal and millet, ideally millet, in other words, unpeeled millet. Purified millet oxidizes and loses its beneficial properties. You can buy millet at pet stores. Sometimes millet goes in mixtures for birds along with oats and other cereals. The main food that is useful to all birds is sunflower seeds. It is important that they are not processed by anything. Salted and roasted seeds can harm the bird's digestion. And it is best to pour unpeeled seeds - the birds are used to pecking them. Bread crumbs for birds are also possible, but the main thing is that it should not be black bread. It causes fermentation in the stomach. Raw fat will help the birds survive the cold. Naturally, it should be unprocessed: not salted, not peppered, not smoked. Salo does not have to be cut into pieces. You can simply hang a large piece by the wire - it is convenient for the birds to sit on it and peck out small pieces. Fat is high-calorie and nutritious. This is the point: in order for the bird not to freeze, it must be full.

Pigeon Protection

Inevitably, pigeons will fly to the feeders and push smaller birds. “Opinions are divided here,” said Anna Stekleneva. - Someone thinks that pigeons also need to be fed, someone is sure that they need to be driven away so that the little ones can eat. We recommend everyone to make such feeders so that a bird the size of a tit or a bullfinch can penetrate there. If a pigeon flies to the feeder, the titmouse, goldfinch and others will not get anything - they cannot withstand this competition. This is the situation with pigeons. They have been living next to humans for a long time, which means they are more adapted, they are used to eating in landfills. In addition, they are larger, it is easier for them to find food. Our task is to feed the small bird. Pigeons will always find food for themselves. If you made the entrance to the feeder wide, you can stretch the ropes that will allow the tit to get inside, but the pigeon will not be allowed in. Often, feeders are made from plastic bottles, cutting an entrance into them. Here, too, there are nuances. The edges of the entrance must be pasted over with electrical tape. In frost, the plastic becomes sharp as a knife, the bird can cut its paws on the edges. You can hang feeders on trees, near forest paths, so that it is convenient to add food. “By the way, we noticed one peculiarity in Akademgorodok,” Anna Stekleneva noted. - Our feeders hang along the paths, and the residents, passing by, always add something. They may not be ripe for creating their own feeder, but they will take a handful of seeds from home on their way to work, such a habit is being developed. We think that next to the feeders hang signs with a list of useful and harmful food for birds.

With small birds, everything is clear. But what about the big ones? Don't they need our help? Many birds of prey migrate to warmer regions with the onset of cold weather. But some remain to winter in Siberia. Among them are the Ural Owl, Hawk, Sparrowhawk and Goshawk. “When there is no food base in the forest (most of the animals migrated, many rodents hide under the snow), birds of prey can fly to the city for food. In the city, it is sometimes easier to hunt, for example, for pigeons, - explained Alexander Milezhik, head of the Novosibirsk Center for the Rehabilitation of Birds of Prey. - I will immediately note that it is better not to feed them at all, not to lure them into the city. This can be very harmful. The city poses many dangers for birds of prey - these are cars, shop windows ... Owls constantly beat against glass. Again, in the city, crows can peck at a bird. Or, if you feed the same owl incorrectly, you can kill it. ” Having fed birds on your balcony, you can admire these small wild birds all winter. They will not give into hands, but they will delight with the view, visiting again and again. And you will understand that it is not in vain that you are trampling this planet, but you are saving living beings from hunger. Doing good is so simple, but still responsible!

Some people believe that in winter, in conditions of lack of food, birds can eat anything - this is misconception. Therefore, what is poured into the feeder will depend on who exactly will fly to you today.

What to feed the birds in winter?

With the onset of cold weather, many ask this question. Ornithologists, scientists who study birds, know about the proper feeding of birds in winter. On their recommendation, we can make a mixture that contains more than seventy percent sunflower seeds. For small birds, this food will be the main source of energy, as the seeds are very high in calories. Even granivorous birds and woodpeckers feed on sunflower seeds with great pleasure. This food is also loved by tits, nuthatches and other birds.

Inside the seeds of this crop contains a large amount of vegetable fats useful for birds, which allow them to survive in severe frosts. Inside the feeders, experts recommend leaving a calcium supplement, such as is usually given to poultry. It can be an eggshell or pieces of plaster.

Plant seeds or how to feed street birds?

There are a number of birds that prefer oats, millet, millet, rice, and wheat. Such grain-eating birds will gladly visit your feeder if you leave millet or oats for them. Such a meal is to the taste of goldfinches, greenfinches, sparrows and so on. City pigeons also prefer to peck grain.

What else can you treat birds in winter?

With great pleasure, the birds will feast on the seeds of melon, watermelon, hemp, nettle, thistle, burdock, quinoa. Also, some birds may peck at corn. It should be noted that watermelon seeds must first be crushed. Such food will be happy to try tits and nuthatches.

Quinoa seeds are eaten with great desire by many birds. Plants are cut, collected in brooms, thus stored until winter. When the cold comes, brooms are simply stuck into the snow not far from the feeder. You can thresh the grains and mix them with other feed.

Blue tits and many other granivorous birds are very fond of nettle seeds. For goldfinches, burdock seeds can become the main food. But bullfinches taste different food. Horse sorrel seeds are a real delicacy for them.

Animal products for birds in winter?

In a hungry winter period, lard, meat, beef and chicken fat can be used as bird feed. This product will be appreciated by tits, nuthatches and some other birds. Do not use salty foods for these purposes. How should you feed the birds? You can string meat and other products cut into small pieces on a strong thread. Such bundles are hung on bushes or trees. If you place top dressing away from ground level, then there is a chance that magpies, jackdaws, cats or dogs will not get it. You need to hang it among thin branches, then such heavy birds as crows will not be able to sit on them. Many will ask, why feed birds with such food in winter?

This fact can be explained by the need to eat high-calorie foods in severe cold. In a soft state, animal fats mix well with other types of food. This is how a kind of puff cake is prepared. It can be placed in nets and hung in bird access areas. Unsalted horse, pork, beef and lamb fat is a great delicacy for tits, pikas, woodpeckers, and nuthatches. You can pour the trunks and branches of trees with a melted product. Frozen smudges will be eaten by arriving birds.

Delicious berries of hawthorn, mountain ash and other plants attract the most beautiful birds to the feeders - bullfinches, schurov, waxwings. The autumn harvest is harvested and dried in preparation for winter.

tree seeds

Maples and ash trees are common in city parks. Their seeds are called lionfish. IN autumn period most of them crumble to the ground, which means it becomes inaccessible to birds. If you have no idea what you can feed the birds in winter, then you can collect lionfish with the onset of cold weather to hang them in your feeders. Most likely, bullfinches and waxwings, as well as some other birds, will fly to you.

This food is harvested in autumn. For crossbills and woodpeckers, cones can become the basis of the menu in winter. Jays will prefer to feed on acorns. By arranging bird feeders with such a delicacy for birds, you will also attract squirrels.

For those who want to diversify the menu in the bird canteen, we can advise the preparation of different mixtures for feathered visitors. For example, it can be fifty percent of sunflower seeds, about thirty percent of white millet, fifteen or more percent of corn grains. A variant of a more high-calorie dish would be a puff pie. To prepare it, take three cups of soft fat or margarine, the same amount of grain, and a cup of sunflower oil. Hercules and other ingredients can be added if desired. Many use apple peels, nut kernels, plant seeds, chicken eggs, sweet syrup, honey, sugar. Thoroughly mix the mixture, leave it to solidify in the cold. The entire portion can be put in a plastic container and left in the feeder.

Small strips of bacon skins, food in pet cans can be placed in outdoor bird feeders. Boiled eggs or potatoes will also be a pleasant treat for birds.

Corvidae nutrition

Fares, fish, meat are the best suited for this order of birds. You can also leave cottage cheese, eggs and other foods familiar to us, such as fruits, various cereals, canned or cooked corn, in the feeder. They love to peck nuts. The raw egg in the feeder will be carefully drunk, and the shell will become a mineral bait, which the bird will also eat. Such birds do not refuse chicken offal.

What should not be given to birds? The list includes fatty cottage cheese, citrus fruits, milk, tomatoes, any fried foods. For absolutely all birds in feeding, it is forbidden to use spicy and salty foods, as well as fried and sour ones. Black bread can be of great danger to winter birds. It can even lead to the death of birds. Rye bread is also dangerous. Any disease for a bird is dangerous, and in the winter cold, birds have less chance of survival. Therefore, it is worth responsibly approaching the choice of food for your feeder.

It is important not only to make or buy and place the feeder correctly, but also to fill it with food that will really be in demand by birds. In addition, there is food that is not recommended for birds or is prohibited altogether.

In winter, the birds that stay overwinter are put to the real test. Food for subsistence must be obtained with a lot of effort. Therefore, feeders located in parks, forests, household plots, in the yards of schools, kindergartens, city houses can be a real salvation for small birds that need human help.

Competent treatment of nature and instilling love for all living things that surround us is an important task, which should be addressed not only in kindergartens and schools, but first of all in the family. The example that parents set for their children is the most best lesson life that the younger generation learns. Therefore, if parents take care of the environment, take care, care for and feed not only domestic animals, then the children will grow up more loyal to nature, emotionally rich and highly moral.

When teaching a child how to properly care for birds, it is important to correctly inform about the feeding methods and food preferences of certain birds. And especially warn against food that can harm the birds. Often people throw food to the birds that they themselves eat on the street: chips, salty, spicy crackers, fried seeds, and so on. This is extremely unhealthy food for birds.

It is worth considering what benefits can be brought to nature, given the fact that 8-9 out of 10 titmouse die of hunger in winter.

What do different types of birds prefer?

Each type of bird has its own preferred category of food, which should be used to feed the birds. After hanging the feeder and pouring unfried sunflower seeds into it, observe what kind of birds fly to it, and depending on this, give preference to certain types of grain. If you keep a mixture of different foods in the feeder, it is possible that it will attract various feathered visitors to it.

• pigeons prefer millet, unprocessed wheat, barley, pearl barley (most preferred), oatmeal (but not fast food, but more dense), not fried seeds, white bread (not much).
• sparrows very fond of millet. Just like pigeons, they eat unroasted seeds, millet, wheat, oatmeal, white bread, wheat bran. But pearl barley is too hard for them, so it is not recommended to use it.
• tits famous gourmets. They prefer not fried seeds, crumbly cottage cheese (it can be mixed with crushed breadcrumbs), scraped beef, crumbled testicle, shabby apple. I must say that a variety of food is very useful for tits, but they do not get used to it right away. Therefore, if initially the food is not in demand, be patient and continue to feed the titmouse with various foods. Over time, she will get used to it and will be very grateful to you. Also, tits are fed with unsalted fat placed on branches, knots on a tree or on ropes suspended in a secluded place, away from predators. Animal fats in the form of butter are also useful for birds.
• Zelenushki are granivorous birds, so offer them millet, oats and wheat for food.
• Goldfinches they will also not refuse different types of grain, sunflower seeds. Burdock seeds occupy a special place in his diet.
• Nuthatch. They, like tits, are useful to feed with non-salted fat. They really like watermelon seeds. But before you give this food to the birds, it must be crushed into smaller pieces. To do this, the dried seeds are placed in a coffee grinder.
• Bullfinches. Their main food is rowan fruits. In the feeders visited by bullfinches, you can place the fruits of ash and maple (lionfish), as well as horse sorrel seeds.

What can you feed the birds

Feeding cereals can be bought in a regular store, or you can buy special bird food, unprocessed grain, which will cost you much cheaper than packaged cereals in the bird market. You can also find small sunflower seeds there. Which is more preferable for birds.

• Corn: millet, oats, wheat, rice - this is one of the favorite foods of many birds. Sparrows, goldfinches, greenfinches and other birds prefer to eat seeds of cereal plants.
• Sunflower seeds is the most popular, versatile and affordable bird food. It contains healthy oils and trace elements, a large number of calories so necessary for birds to replenish energy reserves in the winter. But only non-fried seeds are used to feed the birds. Such food is preferred by sparrows, carduelis, greenfinches, tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers, pigeons and other birds.
• Dried plant fruits, shrubs, trees, such as mountain ash, wild rose, hawthorn, can attract bullfinches and waxwings to the feeder. But because of the nomadic way of life for a long period, they do not linger. In autumn, you can stock up on various plant seeds: quinoa, nettle, burdock. Plants are dried in the form of brooms, and then in winter these brooms are hung or stuck in the area of ​​\u200b\u200binhabited feeders. As well as seeds of fruits: corn, watermelon, melon, pumpkin, zucchini and others.
• Fat in the form of unsalted bacon, meat and butter, tits, nuthatches, crows, magpies, and jackdaws are very fond of. Melted lard is poured over a rough tree trunk and it becomes a favorite place for visiting hungry birds, especially woodpeckers. Pieces of lard are hung on branches and placed in feeders. This food is especially important in severe frosts.
• cones This is a favorite diet for woodpeckers and crossbills in winter.
• Lionfish- These are the seeds of trees such as maple and ash. They are pre-harvested and harvested in the fall, for further placement in the feeders in the winter. Such food will be preferred by bullfinch and waxwing.
• acorns prepare jays for the winter. If you also have some stock of these fruits collected near the oak in autumn, then you will be able to attract this bird to your feeder. Perhaps even a squirrel can look there in search of suitable food.
• egg shell- This is an additional top dressing, which contains a large amount of calcium necessary for the body of birds and laying eggs in the spring. The shell will also have a beneficial effect on the digestion of birds, as it may well replace the sand used by birds for these purposes.

What not to feed the birds

There are products that in no case should be used to feed birds, because they cause certain negative phenomena in the body of birds and can lead to the death of the animal.

• Black bread is dangerous for birds. This is especially true in winter, because even a small illness brings a bird great harm and danger to its life. Bread can cause diarrhea, and as a result, the death of a bird. It also harms the body of birds due to the presence in bread a large number salt, which destroys the kidneys and liver. With the accumulation of even a small amount of fermented black bread in the goiter of a bird, a fatal outcome can occur.
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Take care of the little garden protectors. Protect their nests from crows and cats. And share information with your friends, we will help the birds together.

Little food is found by birds in winter, insects in hibernation, fruits and berries under the snow. From morning to evening, the birds are looking for crumbs of food. Downy, warm feathers protect from the cold, but not from hunger. During snowfalls, blizzards and severe frosts The birds are starving and dying en masse. More than 10 species of birds winter in Moscow and the Moscow Region: chickadees, great tits, nuthatches, blue tit, spotted woodpeckers, siskins, bullfinches, magpies, mallard ducks, gulls, sparrows, pigeons and crows.

People strive to help our feathered neighbors survive this difficult period for them, arrange feeding grounds and feeders. But everything must be approached with skill, because by feeding the birds incorrectly, it is easy to harm them out of good intentions.

You need to know that the feeding of birds depends on their belonging to a particular group. There are birds whose diet is completely dependent on humans, there are those that can feed themselves, but will gladly accept human help, and there are groups whose feeding is highly undesirable, etc.

GROUPS OF BIRDS

1. Completely dependent on a person

This group includes sedentary synanthropes: city pigeons, sparrows and mallard ducks. These birds adhere to a certain small territory and do not move beyond it.

Pigeons and sparrows do not live in the middle lane in their natural environment, they are residents of subtropical regions. To the north they came after man, and if in summer they find enough food in nature, then in winter they are completely dependent on us. Ducks, being the aborigines of our region, refused exhausting flights, becoming sedentary. These three species of birds will not be able to exist without human help, the amount of natural food that they are able to find in nature is so small that it will not allow them to survive the winter.

2. They can survive the winter without our help, but they will not refuse if we offer

This group includes small forest birdsregularly wintering in the middle lane and quite adapted to this: tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers, greenfinches, jays.

3. Most often they forage on their own

This group includes bullfinches, fieldfare thrushes, waxwings, goldfinches, buntings, siskins and tap dances, pikas and kinglets. These birds are true nomads, never stopping anywhere for a long time.

Thrushes and waxwings feed exclusively on soft fruits of trees and shrubs in winter - mountain ash, hawthorn, svidina and even snowberry. They do not visit feeders, completely depending on the presence of berries on the branches (by cutting off the fruits of mountain ash, we thereby reduce the amount of food available to them, so it is better not to harvest mountain ash for winter feeding. Those who feed on mountain ash are more likely to find it on a tree than in the feeder).

Goldfinches, buntings, siskins and tap-dancing birds feed on weed seeds and feed on birch trees. You will hardly see them on the feeders in the city. For them, you can arrange feeding grounds in wastelands and outside the city, but this is a difficult matter.

The pika and kinglet are strictly insectivorous birds and survive the winter looking for hibernating insects under the bark or among the needles of spruce.

4. Top dressing is highly undesirable

The gray crow is omnivorous, its diet includes both plant foods and animals. At the same time, the city gives crows protection from natural predators; here they raise their chicks more successfully, rapidly increasing in number. This, in turn, becomes a problem for other animal species. They more carefully comb green spaces in search of food, ruining all the nests of small birds that they meet, steal ducklings, and even squirrels. And the better the crows winter, the more food they find in winter, the more eggs their females lay in the spring, the more chicks they feed, the more nests of other birds they destroy, the more chicks they find and eat. Feeding crows, you increase their number and, accordingly, reduce the number of other birds - warblers, nightingales, warblers, finches, greenfinches. Some species of birds cannot nest in the city at all because of crows.

A certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe terrain can feed only a limited number of animals. And only the strongest and fittest survive the winter, this is natural selection. By feeding animals in winter, we allow the weak to survive, who will also leave offspring in the spring. But besides this, in spring the number of animals of one species will be higher, there will be competition for nesting places and food, and not only weak individuals will not be able to fully feed their offspring, but those who would survive the winter without our help find themselves in a difficult situation. This also applies to settled birds. By feeding urban pigeons, we maintain their high numbers, and the health of birds as a whole is noticeably deteriorating, which leads to annual epidemics.

If you do not feed the city ducks, most of them will not survive until spring, but the species as a whole will not suffer, since migratory ducks will retain their numbers. And the increase in the urban population is already having a negative effect on our ponds - ducks completely eat away many types of aquatic and near-water vegetation, exposing the banks, eating most aquatic invertebrates and tadpoles.

So to feed the birds or not, everyone decides for himself.

BASIC FEEDING RULES

You can't feed the birds, you can only feed them!

This is especially true for species from the second group. When feeding, the birds receive the entire daily ration only from the feeder, and when feeding, they receive only part of the necessary food from humans, and are forced to find the rest of their diet in nature. In nature, the diet of birds is very diverse. Moving through the forest, flocks of tits check cracks in the bark in search of wintering insects, their larvae and pupae, pick up seeds of various plants, and eat only seeds and fat at the feeder. And with the constant presence of seeds in the feeder, tits simply stop looking for other food. A monotonous diet, and even rich in fats, leads to liver disease. The birds themselves do not understand the dangers of one-sided feeding, and even with a choice of different feeds in the feeder, they prefer to eat only seeds, as the most nutritious type of food. An excess of fat leads to liver disease and the imminent death of the bird. It turns out that instead of benefit, we can cause irreparable harm to birds.

An observant person will notice that about a month after the start of feeding the tits, birds with very fluffy plumage will begin to fly to the feeders, the tits look like fluffy balls. Often these birds are more trusting, they are not afraid of a person, they often drive other, more “slim” ones away from the feeder. To people far from biology, they seem stronger, thicker. But experienced person he will immediately say that these birds do not feel well. It is because of poor health that they fluff the feather, trying to keep as much heat as possible, losing their natural caution.

Feed should not be in the feeder all the time

It is better to accustom yourself and the birds to a certain regime, filling the feeders once or twice a day, in the morning or in the morning and in the evening at the same time. They poured a glass of seeds, tits pulled them away and that's it. No matter how they beg you, banging their beaks on the glass, you need to be persistent and not give in to your feelings. In general, the mode is a very valuable thing. If you strictly adhere to it, then the birds quickly get used to the fact that at a certain time they can expect to find food in the feeder, and the rest of the time they will go to look for food in other places.

WHAT TO FEED

It is forbidden

In no case should birds be given: fried and salted seeds, salted bacon, millet, black bread and spoiled foods with an unpleasant odor or mold.

Can

Pigeons: a specially prepared mixture or wheat, or rather barley, which can be bought at the Bird Market (grain is also cheaper than cereals). Of the cereals, pearl barley is best. White bread / in small quantities /, oatmeal, but not instant, but dense, not loose. In a small amount, you can add unroasted seeds.

Sparrows: barley is too hard, but everything else that pigeons eat is fine for them too. From grain, sparrows prefer millet.

Ducks: it is best to feed with grain (grain mixture or wheat) or compound feed for chickens, but these types of feed sink in water, and to feed them you have to either pour them on ice or make special feeders semi-submerged in water, which is unrealistic in an urban reservoir. So there are practically no alternatives to white bread. Eat ducks and unroasted seeds that do not sink in water, unlike other types of grain. However, ducks get so used to bread that they eat seeds less willingly.

Tits: unroasted sunflower seeds, medium-fat cottage cheese mixed with white breadcrumbs so that the cottage cheese does not stick together, but is grains, scraped lean beef, grated hard-boiled egg, finely chopped fresh apple. On frosty days, it is good to hang a piece of unsalted bacon, put a piece of butter. It is only necessary to take into account that, in addition to seeds, tits should get used to other foods, so do not be upset if they do not eat them at first.

In addition to birds, some other animals visit the feeders, most often we meet squirrels on the feeders.

Squirrels in the feeders put whole hazelnuts (hazelnuts), whole pine nuts, chopped walnuts, whole apricot seeds, sunflower seeds (also not fried), pieces of sweet crackers, cookies, bagels, pieces of fresh apple (even in frost, a fresh apple is in demand among squirrels, despite the fact that it freezes through), dried fruits, dried mushrooms, boiled egg, cottage cheese. Squirrels do not eat almonds, raw peanuts are also not popular, but you can offer them.

Salt is not harmful for squirrels, but it is better not to use salty foods, as they can be eaten by birds, for which salt is dangerous. It is very good to fix a white bird stone (pressed chalk) on the feeder for squirrels - squirrels in nature are always deficient in calcium and they will certainly be happy with such a gift.

WHERE IS BETTER TO PLACE FEEDERS

It is best to feed the birds away from housing, choosing a site with convenient perches (pigeons sometimes sit all day near the feeding area, waiting for freebies, they simply have nothing else to do) and shelters. The concentration of birds at the feeders will inevitably attract predators, and if there is no place to hide nearby, your wards may be in danger. For small birds, it is better to arrange feeding grounds near a dense bush or on the edge of a coniferous forest. It must also be remembered that the wind is very dangerous for birds, so the feeders should be located in places protected from it.

Of course, the feeder outside the window is very attractive to us, but not very useful for the birds and does not please the neighbors at all. The feeder is always a source of garbage - the seeds are shelled, the birds heavily litter the space, and if the tits pull the seeds to the sides, then the sparrows shell the grain on the spot. Often, in search of food, birds begin to fly into open windows, which often ends in death for them, often the birds break on the glass. In addition, bird droppings do not decorate our window sills, cornices and balconies, as well as parked cars. This, first of all, of course, concerns pigeons.

MANUFACTURE OF THE FEEDER

When making feeders of any design, it is important to remember the main rules:

1. The feeder must have a roof, otherwise the food may be covered with snow or rain and become unsuitable for birds.

2. The hole in the feeder should be wide enough for the bird to easily enter and leave the feeder.

The simplest feeders can be made from plastic bottles or juice or milk bags. It is necessary, stepping back 5 cm from the bottom, cut out wide windows, pour food on the bottom and hang it by a rope or wire it to the trunk. You can make edible balls: soak white bread in water. Let it soak properly, then wring it out. Add the seeds and cereals that you have and mix the resulting dough. Fold the pieces of rope in half and tie in a knot. Now take some dough, put the rope inside and make a ball. Dry the resulting product in the oven. Hearts and stars are even easier to make. Cut out the desired shape from cardboard, spread with a thick layer of flour paste and sprinkle with feed mixture. Dry the resulting halves in the oven. Then glue the halves by inserting a rope between them.

Here are a few diagrams of the simplest feeders that can be quickly and easily made at home:

1. Feeder made of two plastic boxes of instant noodles, connected by pieces of plywood.

2. A feeder from an empty juice or milk bag. Two or three holes are cut in the bottom of the bag. They can be either round or rectangular.

3. Pieces of unsalted lard tied together with strong thread or twine. This bunch can be thrown on the branches of a tree, where tits will find it, but the food will be difficult for crows.

4. A feeder of two empty plastic bottles of different sizes. This feeder can work automatically. As the birds eat the food, it spills out of the bottle again. Millet, oats, wheat and other loose feed can be poured into such a feeder.

On the diagram, the numbers indicate:

1 - cap made from a larger bottle

2 - the feed container is made from a bottle of a smaller volume. The bottom is cut off to make it easier to fill the food, and holes are made at the neck, from which the food enters the cup.

3 - stick perch for birds

4 - food in a cup

5 - belt for fastening the feeder on a branch.

5. Feeder from an empty plastic bottle. The neck of the bottle is partially cut off so that a small roof remains. A piece of a plank with a perch for birds is inserted into the resulting hole, and food is poured inside the bottle.

If you have started feeding birds, try not to give up this activity until spring, as birds arriving at the feeder can be very upset and even die if you suddenly stop coming.

And finally - there is such a sign: if a titmouse sits on your hand, make a wish and if the bird gives a voice, the wish will come true.

Share with friends. Like will save the world.

We express our gratitude to Konstantin Razhaisky for his help in preparing the material.

Winter hard time years for birds. Snow covered the ground, hiding the seeds, the cold forced all insects to hide, only some trees retained their fruits, and on large weeds you can find seeds on stems sticking out from under the snow.
Frosts do not frighten birds, they are frightened by winter starvation. From it, many birds fly away to other lands in autumn (and not always to the south, but simply to where there is more food, there are species that, on the contrary, fly north), but some remain to winter with us, using the meager choice that nature provides them .
And many people strive to help our feathered neighbors survive this difficult period for them, arrange feeding grounds and feeders. But everything must be approached with knowledge of the matter, because by incorrectly feeding the birds it is easy to harm them out of the best of intentions.
To begin with, we must make a reservation that there are birds that are very dependent on us, their existence directly depends on whether we provide them with food or not. There are birds that will survive without our help, but will accept it with great pleasure. There are birds that do not use feeders at all, foraging only on their own. And there are species whose top dressing is highly undesirable, since their high abundance harms other species.

Let's take a closer look at these groups.
The first includes sedentary synanthropes - species that are completely dependent on humans. These are urban pigeons and sparrows, as well as urban ducks. Pigeons and sparrows do not live in the middle lane in their natural environment, they are residents of subtropical regions. To the north they came after man, and if in summer they find enough food in nature, then in winter they are completely dependent on us. Ducks, being natives of our region, adapting to life next to people, refused exhausting flights, becoming sedentary.
These three species will not be able to exist at all without human help, the amount of natural food that they can find in nature is so small that it will not allow them to survive the winter.

The second group includes small forest birds that regularly winter in the middle lane and are quite adapted to this. They will survive the winter without our help, but they will not give it up.
These are tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers, greenfinches, jays.

The third group includes bullfinches, fieldfare thrushes, waxwings, goldfinches, buntings, siskins and tap dances, pikas and kinglets. These birds are real nomads, not stopping anywhere for a long time, as their food supplies are very limited.
In winter, thrushes and waxwings feed exclusively on soft fruits of trees and shrubs - mountain ash, hawthorn, svidina and even snowberry. They do not visit feeders, completely depending on the presence of berries on the branches (by picking off the fruits of mountain ash, we thereby reduce the amount of food available to them, so it is better not to harvest mountain ash for winter feeding, those who eat mountain ash are more likely to find it on a tree than in feeder).
Bullfinches feed on the seeds of mountain ash, ash, lilac. They occasionally visit the feeders, eating seeds with pleasure, but due to their nomadic lifestyle, they never stay at the feeders for a long time.
Goldfinches, buntings, siskins and red-eyes feed on weed seeds, while siskins and red-eyes feed on birch trees. You will hardly see them on the feeders in the city. For them, you can arrange feeding grounds in wastelands and outside the city, but this is a difficult matter.
The pika and kinglet are strictly insectivorous birds and survive the winter looking for hibernating insects under the bark (pichuka) or among the needles of spruce (kinglet). They never visit the feeders, and there is nothing we can do to help them overwinter.

The last group includes the gray crow and magpie. It is better not to feed these birds. This is especially true of crows, whose numbers in cities exceed all reasonable limits.
The gray crow is an omnivorous bird, its diet includes both plant foods and animals. At the same time, the city gives crows protection from natural predators; in the city, crows raise their chicks more successfully, rapidly increasing in number. Which in turn becomes a problem for other animal species. With a high population density, crows have higher competition for food, they more carefully comb green spaces in search of food, ruining all the nests of small birds that they meet, looking for fledglings, stealing ducklings, and even squirrels. And the better the crows overwinter, the more food they find in winter, the more eggs their females will lay in the spring, the more chicks they will feed, the more nests of other birds they will destroy, the more fledgling chicks will be found and eaten. By feeding crows, you thereby increase their numbers and, accordingly, reduce the number of other birds - warblers, nightingales, warblers, finches, greenfinches ... And some species, because of crows, cannot nest in the city at all.
The crow is a very intelligent bird, it is interesting to watch it, but because of the harm it brings to nature, it is better to refrain from feeding it.

In fact, in my deep conviction, it is better for a person not to interfere in the affairs of nature, because everything in nature is interconnected and it regulates itself. A certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe terrain can feed only a limited number of animals. And only the strongest and fittest survive the winter, this is natural selection. By feeding animals in winter, we allow the weak to survive, who will also leave offspring in the spring. But besides this, in spring the number of animals of one species will be higher, there will be competition for nesting places and food, and not only weak individuals will not be able to fully feed their offspring, but those who would survive the winter without our help find themselves in a difficult situation. This also applies to settled birds. By feeding urban pigeons, we maintain their high numbers, and the health of birds as a whole is noticeably deteriorating, which leads to annual epidemics.
If you do not feed the city ducks, most of them will not survive until spring, but the species as a whole will not suffer, since migratory ducks will retain their numbers. And the increase in the urban population is already having a negative effect on our ponds - ducks completely eat away many types of aquatic and near-water vegetation, exposing the banks, eating most aquatic invertebrates and tadpoles.

So to feed the birds or not, everyone decides for himself.

But if you have already decided to feed the birds in the winter, you must firmly understand a few rules for yourself:
First of all, you need to understand that birds cannot be fed, you can only feed them. This is especially true for species from the second group we have considered.
How is feeding different from feeding? The fact that when feeding, birds receive the entire daily diet only from the feeder, and when feeding, they receive only part of the food they need from humans, and are forced to find the rest of their diet in nature.

Feeding is the constant availability of food in the feeder.
What is the harm of feeding and the benefits of feeding? In nature, the diet of birds is very diverse. Moving through the forest, flocks of tits check cracks in the bark in search of wintering insects, their larvae and pupae, pick up seeds of various plants, and eat only seeds and fat at the feeder. And with the constant presence of seeds in the feeder, tits simply stop looking for other food. Why fly through the forest, strain, looking for insects in the cracks of the bark, when there are always a lot of excellent fatty seeds in the feeder? A monotonous diet, and even rich in fats, leads to liver disease. Instead of benefit, we cause irreparable harm to birds. At the same time, we often simply do not notice the results of this, since the corpses of the birds killed by our kindness remain in hollows. But an observant person will notice that about a month after the start of feeding the tits, more and more birds with fluffy plumage fly to the feeders, the tits look like fluffy balls. Often these birds are more trusting, they are not afraid of a person, they often drive other, more “slim” ones away from the feeder. To people far from biology, they seem stronger, thicker. But an experienced person will immediately say that these birds do not feel well. It is because of poor health that they fluff their feathers, trying to keep as much heat as possible, it is because of this that they lose their natural caution.
At the same time, the birds themselves do not understand the dangers of one-sided feeding, and even if there is a choice of different feeds in the feeder, they prefer to eat only seeds, as the most nutritious type of feed. And an excess of fat leads to liver disease and the imminent death of the bird. At the same time, the corpses turn out to be very well-fed.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to firmly understand to yourself that there should not be a constant presence of food in the feeders. It is better to accustom yourself and the birds to a certain regime, filling the feeders once or twice a day, in the morning or in the morning and in the evening at the same time. They poured a glass of seeds, tits pulled them away and that's it. No matter how they beg you, banging their beaks on the glass, you need to be persistent and not give in to your feelings.
In general, the mode is a very valuable thing. If you strictly adhere to it, then the birds quickly get used to the fact that at a certain time they can expect to find food in the feeder, and the rest of the time they will go to look for food in other places.

What is the best way to feed birds?

We must immediately understand for ourselves that some products for birds are harmful, and often deadly. At the same time, the birds themselves do not understand this and eat them, harming their health.
What should never be given to birds? First of all, it's all fried and salty. Salt is necessary for birds, but when eating salty food, its excess in the body quickly occurs, and the excretory system of birds is less effective than that of mammals, and poisoning of the body occurs.
When frying, fats change their structure and cause severe damage to the liver.
It is also impossible to use spoiled food, rancid grain, moldy, musty products. They contain strong toxins, and with an intensive metabolism, birds very quickly accumulate them in their bodies. Even if poisoning with moldy bread or other spoiled product does not lead to a quick death of the bird, it will weaken the body, the bird will get sick and eventually die.
You can not give birds and millet. Unlike millet, millet is devoid of a shell, which leads to the oxidation of fats on its surface, the appearance of toxic substances, pathogens. Before cooking, we always wash this cereal, washing off all this muck, while the birds on raw millet get it in full. Not all millet is equally dangerous, but it is better not to risk it.
Dangerous for birds and black bread. Rye starch is poorly absorbed by the body of a bird (the grain of rye itself is also not recommended to be given to poultry, and it is reluctant to eat it), black bread is always more moist than white, has high acidity, which often leads to strong fermentation in the intestines up to torsion intestines. And often black color seems to be rye bread achieved by adding fried wheat flour, which in itself is harmful to the body of the bird.

So, what should not be given to birds in any case? Fried and salted seeds, salted bacon, millet, black bread and spoiled food with an unpleasant odor or mold.

What then can you feed the birds in winter?

City pigeons are best fed with a specially prepared mixture, or at least wheat, or rather barley, which can be bought at the Bird Market in Moscow (grain is also cheaper than cereals). Of the cereals, pearl barley, which is peeled barley, is best.
White bread is not the best food for pigeons, but in small quantities it is fine (but fried pies, belyashi, pizza, etc. very harmful).
Previously, oatmeal was sold in stores, but now it is very difficult to find it, but you can add oatmeal to the Sisars, but not instant, but dense, not loose.
In a small amount, you can add unroasted seeds.

Barley is too hard for sparrows, but everything else that pigeons eat is also suitable for them. From grain, sparrows prefer millet.

Ducks are best fed with grain (grain mixture or wheat) or compound feed for chickens, but the trouble is, these types of food sink in water, and to feed them you have to either pour them on ice or make special feeders semi-submerged in water, which is unrealistic in urban conditions. reservoir. So there are practically no alternatives to white bread. Eat ducks and unroasted seeds that do not sink in water, unlike other types of grain. However, ducks get so used to bread that they eat seeds less willingly.

Non-roasted sunflower seeds, medium-fat cottage cheese mixed with white breadcrumbs, so that the cottage cheese does not stick together, but be grains, scraped lean beef, grated hard-boiled egg, finely chopped fresh apple, are placed in the bird feeder for tits. On frosty days, it is good to hang a piece of unsalted bacon, put a piece of butter.
It is only necessary to take into account that, in addition to seeds, tits should get used to other foods, so do not be upset if they do not eat them at first.
First of all, tits always choose seeds, and only then they begin to take away cottage cheese and other food.
In addition to these foods, nuthatches are happy to eat watermelon and pumpkin seeds.

But besides birds, some other animals also visit the feeders, most often we meet squirrels on the feeders.

Squirrels are fed whole hazelnuts (hazelnuts), whole pine nuts, chopped walnuts, whole apricot pits, sunflower seeds (also not fried), pieces of sweet crackers, biscuits, bagels, slices of fresh apple (even in frost, a fresh apple is used by squirrels in demand, despite the fact that it freezes through), dried fruits, dried mushrooms, boiled eggs, cottage cheese.
Squirrels do not eat almonds, I even read that they are toxic to these rodents. Raw peanuts are also not popular, but you can offer something.
Salt is not harmful for squirrels, but it is better not to use salty foods, as they can be eaten by birds, for which salt is dangerous.
It is very good to fix a white bird stone (pressed chalk) on the feeder for squirrels - squirrels in nature are always deficient in calcium and they will certainly be happy with such a gift.

And I also want to say a few words about where it is best to place the feeders.
Of course, the feeder outside the window is very attractive to us, but not very useful for the birds and does not please the neighbors at all. The feeder is always a source of garbage - the seeds are shelled, the birds heavily litter the space, and if the tits pull the seeds to the sides, then the sparrows shell the grain on the spot. Often, in search of food, birds begin to fly into open windows, which often ends in death for them, often the birds break on the glass. In addition, bird droppings do not decorate our window sills, cornices and balconies, as well as parked cars. This, first of all, of course, concerns pigeons. By feeding the birds on the windowsill or balcony, you run the risk of arousing the justified wrath of the neighbors, some of whom may begin to solve the problem on their own, simply by shooting the birds with pneumatic weapons or sprinkling them with poisoned grain. And this, alas, is not fiction.

It is best to feed the birds away from housing, choosing a site with convenient perches (pigeons sometimes sit all day near the feeding area, waiting for freebies, they simply have nothing else to do) and shelters. The concentration of birds at the feeders will inevitably attract predators, and if there is no place to hide nearby, your wards may be in danger. For small birds, it is better to arrange feeding grounds near a dense bush or on the edge of a coniferous forest. You also need to remember that the wind is very dangerous for birds, so the feeders should be located in places protected from it.

For those who like to feed pigeons, I can also advise you to put on the same clothes before approaching the feeding area, it is more convenient to put on a special dressing gown over the clothes, and take it off when leaving the feeding area. Pigeons very quickly get used to the sight of the person who feeds them, and begin to pursue him or a person in similar clothes, which can create certain difficulties even for you, not to mention random passers-by. And a random passerby in the same robe as yours is unlikely to be nearby.

All the best to you and your feathered friends!

Which animal eats birds, you will learn from this article.

What animals eat birds?

Who would have thought that such a herbivorous animal as a squirrel in the summer cannot do without animal food? This little animal is an enemy for insectivorous birds. Often, the squirrel occupies birdhouses and if they are busy, then it eats eggs and chicks. The squirrel also attacks song thrushes, destroying their nests and eating them.

Another enemy of birds is dormouse - forest, garden, hazel. She not only prevents small birds from nesting near her habitat, but also eats eggs, chicks and the very birds that incubate the eggs.

Mammals are also not averse to feasting on birds from time to time. For example, weasels, foxes, martens, hedgehogs and polecats catch birds on the fly or attack from an ambush. Particularly dangerous for nesting birds are martens, which climb trees beautifully.

Even birds can eat birds. Everyone knows crows may eat starlings or tit chicks. In the steppe areas, the enemies of tits, starlings and other birds are snakes, especially snakes and vipers. They can also climb trees and destroy nests.

But there are also special types of animals that eat birds. They are hunted by African tiger fish. Scientists recently made several observations of fish and filmed 20 hunting incidents. tiger fish on swallows. The researchers note that aquatic predators calculate the flight speed of swallows and the angle of refraction of sunlight above the water and jump at lightning speed. Having caught the bird by the wing, the fish drags it under the water.

They are loved. We are talking only about white, not black bread. It should not be given to birds. IN last years more and more often you can hear and read that even dry white bread is dangerous for birds and can lead to various diseases, up to blockage of the esophagus. This opinion is replicated on many sites. I decided to look into this issue, because. often I myself put dried crumbs or finely chopped pieces of white bread in the feeder. For woodpeckers, who also fly to the feeder, there is no better treat than a hardened loaf. Can this food harm the birds?

Not only sparrows, but also tits eat white bread in winter

Feed or feed?

White bread is not the most complete food for birds kept in captivity. However, this is not about them, but about sparrows and other birds that fly to the feeder in winter. We only feed them, which is very important, especially in bad weather. For example, during or after a snowfall. The rest of the time, the birds are busy searching for food on their own, flying to the feeders for a “snack”. That is, we are talking about top dressing, and not about full feeding. Many ornithologists do not advise putting food in the feeders in summer and autumn, when the birds themselves have to look for it. Otherwise, they lose the ability to get food and become completely dependent on humans.

The opinion of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Birds of Great Britain is interesting. The lack of a complete set of substances necessary for birds is called the disadvantages of white bread as a bird food. They fill the stomach and experience a temporary feeling of satiety. British experts suggest feeding birds with biscuit crumbs or pastries, and not “empty food”. It is recommended to give grated cheese, the remains of boiled potatoes in their skins, breakfast cereals and boiled rice.

Difficult and dangerous options

Reputable publications advise pouring raw sunflower and pumpkin seeds, corn grains, pearl barley, oatmeal, dried white bread crumbs into the feeders and putting unsalted lard. Some of them recommend giving the birds crushed watermelon pits, melon seeds, thistle, horse sorrel and quinoa. It is proposed to harvest the seeds in advance in the summer and make brooms from stems and branches with seeds to stick them in the snow near the feeders in winter.

Garden quinoa seeds with beet-colored leaves

There are always a lot of sparrows near the feeder

Feeding trough near our house

My version of feeding the birds cannot harm them. I try to put wheat bread with bran and inexpensive loose sunflower seeds in the feeder. Only raw. They are sold in Auchan at a price of 41 rubles. 71 kop. per kilogram (2016).

Raw Sunflower Seeds are Ideal Bird Food

I can’t harvest cones and tree seeds in the fall. Let the birds themselves get them on the site. There is a lot of food for a variety of birds. I sometimes put small pieces of bacon in feeders, I don’t hang them on tree branches.

Bird cones are not interested at all

Sparrows that constantly fly up to the feeder are reluctant to eat buckwheat. Raw rice is pecked, but without much pleasure. Birds like millet even less. I stopped putting oatmeal. Sparrows leave it, and the groats, wet during thaws, become moldy. Sparrows and tits often fight over food. They are driven away by larger birds: and woodpeckers. There is no better food for jays than a loaf of bread. Woodpeckers, unfortunately, after a meal, switch from a hardened long loaf to a plum trunk that grows next to the feeder.

The woodpecker is patiently waiting for a dried loaf of white bread to be placed in the feeder specially for him.

You should not give wet food in winter, because. it freezes quickly. Even the fresh flesh of zucchini and pumpkins, which contains many seeds, soon becomes hard. Then the birds can't peck at it.

Dried white bread (preferably with bran) remains the food for most birds that many people who feed birds in the winter can afford. This is the case when the amount of feed is also important.

Five jays come to us to steal white bread crusts from the feeder. They first peck at the pulp, then fly away, taking the peels with them.

I noticed that sparrows like white bread more than cereals. In the feeder, sparrows first of all eat bread crumbs, even when there is another food nearby, which we consider a bird delicacy. Of course, sunflower seeds are in high demand.

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