Good intentions can turn dangerous when the wrong food goes outside. Winter birds are desperate for calories, so they’ll eat almost anything—even items that damage their systems. Here’s what to keep in your compost bin instead:
- Bread or Crackers
- Swells in stomach, provides zero nutrition
Risk: starvation while feeling full
Affects: sparrows, doves, juncos
- Salted or Flavored Nuts
- Salt overload damages kidneys
Risk: dehydration, organ failure
Affects: jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches
- Moldy or Spoiled Fruit
- Fungal toxins attack respiratory system
Risk: aspergillosis, fatal lung infection
Affects: thrushes, waxwings, robins
- Cooked Rice or Pasta
- Sticky texture traps in crop
Risk: bacterial growth, digestive blockage
Affects: cardinals, finches, sparrows
Your yard isn’t a dumping ground. It’s habitat, and what you leave there has consequences. ❄️🚫 #fblifestyle
