There are many myths surrounding birds' eating habits, notes Niklas Aronsson, who is an editor at Birdlife Sweden and has written a book about bird feeding.
For example, the idea that birds cannot tolerate salt is a myth he is happy to debunk.
It's a recurring question, but it's not a problem to hang out, for example, a piece of salted Christmas ham, he says.
On the contrary, it's something they can utilize and need.
It's also not uncommon, he continues, for birds to peck at salt licks placed near a stable or to see birds eating road salt.
No Salt Lick
It's only a problem at relatively high levels.
I calculated this and if you take salt lick, which contains extremely high levels of salt, then we're getting close, says Niklas Aronsson.
But I have a hard time seeing people putting it out and the birds choosing to avoid it.
And the idea that bread is harmful is also largely a myth, according to Niklas Aronsson.
It may be good to avoid nutrient-poor bread, such as sausage bread. But if there's leftover bread from Christmas, it's fair game.
In simple terms, small birds can eat the same food as humans, with a few exceptions. Among the exceptions are avocado and coffee.
There's very little that's toxic, really, and often it's something you wouldn't feed them anyway.
Food on the Ground?
You'll have the most success if you put out, for example, sunflower seeds. Even peanuts have proven to be a very popular dish among small birds – which also appreciate getting some fat in the form of, for example, suet balls.
One thing to consider is that bird feeding can lead to some litter on the ground, especially with unshelled sunflower seeds.
But if you want a greater variety of birds, you'll need to scatter food on the ground.
If you want to optimize your bird feeding, you should scatter a lot of food on the ground. Many species, such as bullfinches, bearded finches, or greenfinches, prefer it, says Niklas Aronsson.
Here are two useful tips for you who want to attract a lot of birds to your bird feeder this winter:
Make your own suet balls.
Suet balls can become too hard if it's cold outside. But you can easily make your own. If you take half coconut fat and half butter or margarine, the balls will be softer, says Niklas Aronsson at Birdlife Sweden.
Then just mix in seeds, nuts, and raisins and let it set in, for example, a cake mold. Add a string too, which you can hang it with.
Choose the Right Feeder:
Avoid an open bird feeder, which increases the risk of diseases spreading through the birds' droppings.
A tube-shaped feeder with small perches is absolutely preferable. Otherwise, the bird feeder will often be quickly emptied by magpies and other larger birds.
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