Feeding birds the wrong food might make them sick or worse. My guide will ensure you remain a responsible birder and don’t accidentally harm your local birding population with a surprise recipe.
Two Leak-Proof Feeders, Zero Ants & Bees
Check PriceAlthough wild birds share many of our dietary staples, some foods make them sick or simply don’t give them any nutrition.
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Below are 14 common (and less common) foods you should never put in bird feeders. Some of these you’ll no doubt already know, while others you may be using as bird feed right now!
Potato Chips
If you think sugar alternatives can fill the gap left by honey or white sugar, think again. Artificial sweeteners are incredibly dangerous for birds, particularly pantry staple xylitol.
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Xylitol may be a natural sweetener found in everyday foods like oats and corn, but it’s still too strong for a bird’s constitution. Attempting to eat this can throw off the bird’s metabolism similar to sugar, affecting everything from their heart to their digestive system.
Alcohol
This last item may seem like a no-brainer. Why would you feed wild birds a shot of vodka or a can of beer?
The thing is, alcohol can crop up in surprising places if you neglect your bird feeder. To understand how this works, it’s time to dive into some science – don’t worry, I’ll keep it simple.
Alcohol forms through a process called fermentation. When certain foods are left out for a long time, bacteria can start to form on the surface – if any yeast lands on this surface, they eat the bacteria.
Some foods ferment very easily, like ripe bananas or juicy berries.
