If you have bread which is becoming stale, it may be tempting to throw it in the garden to cut down on food waste and help the birds, but it turns out this is a big mistake.
Emma, an expert from Faith in Nature, has said that scattering bread in the garden may seem like a kind gesture but feeding it to birds can actually cause malnutrition.
She said: “Bread isn’t nutritious to birds, and they need to be efficient with the foods they eat due to the small size of their stomachs and rapid metabolism, making every meal count.
“And if Brits feel like there’s been a lack of bird chirping in their garden this summer, then they wouldn’t be wrong. Birds are becoming more and more threatened by loss of habitat, climate change, and food shortages.”
Instead, it is much better to ditch the bread and give them any fruit which may be expiring.
Emma said: “Different birds enjoy different types of food, so to get the widest range of birds in your garden as possible, you’ll want to cater to a broad range of avian tastes.
“Thrushes, blackbirds, and waxwings love fruit, and many of us are guilty of buying fruit with good intentions, only to not eat it before it begins to go off.
“However, birds aren’t quite as fussy when it comes to bruised fruit, so consider putting your bruised apples or pears out for them.”
It is much better to feed birds your damaged fruit as it is nutrient-rich and mimics their natural diet, so you can help many different bird species without upsetting their stomach.
Make sure not to scatter fruit on your grass as it can attract unwanted pests to the garden like rats or neighbour cats and instead place it somewhere higher up that only birds can reach.
Try leaving fruit on tables, outside of windows, hanging feeders and even the roof of your shed if you own one.
Emma said: “One of the most important things to remember when setting up your feeder is to keep it safe from predators like cats and thieves like squirrels.
“Avoid dense bushes where cats could lay in wait, or fences that they could easily jump from. If sneaky squirrels are an issue for you, you can buy squirrel-proof feeders, or look for homemade methods designed to keep them out, such as wire mesh or an upturned biscuit tin threaded on the pole of a table.
“If you have a large outdoor space, it pays to move your feeding station around at regular intervals to stop cats or overhead predators, like sparrowhawks, from becoming too familiar with its location.”
