An expert is warning people that they should not feed birds bread, chocolate and salted peanuts as the weather turns colder.
Feathered friends often flock to feeders and bird tables looking for food at this time of the year as their usual sources of nutrition are fairly scarce.
However, while many well-meaning Brits turn to kitchen leftovers to support the wildlife in their hour of need, Chris McIlroy from The Grass People said that human foods may not be suitable. He warned: "Many species of birds will rely on food left out to sustain them through the colder months.
"They need to conserve as much of their energy as possible to stay warm, so any sources of nourishment that are not too hard to find become vital. But it’s important to understand what types of food they need, and also anything that can potentially harm them."
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Wales Online reports that according to Chris, bread is one of the many culprits as people traditionally feed birds at the park once their loaves have gone stale. He explained: "Bread has very little nutritional value for birds, while at the same time making them very full.
"This means less room for the stuff they need, such as seeds and nuts. Much like how throwing old crusts into duck ponds is now frowned upon, leaving it out on your bird table is also a bad idea."
Other foods to avoid include chocolate, salty foods and meat - which can attract unwanted critters and pests like rats, cats and foxes. Chris continued: "Salt can badly affect a bird’s nervous system if ingested in higher quantities, so watch out for anything with a high sodium content.
"Many people are aware that birds also need a source of fresh water during the winter so they add salt to a bird bath in a bid to stop it freezing. But, again, this is best avoided. Try floating a ping-pong ball on the surface to act as an ice breaker instead."
One of the main mistakes that people make is offering scraps from plates. However, the issue with this is that human food is frequently cooked with oil and spices, which birds cannot digest properly. Chris added: "It can also attract vermin, while rotten food can hold bacteria that is harmful to birds and milk is a big no-no as it can give them diarrhoea and lead to dehydration."
So instead of feeding wildlife these things, you should instead give them protein rich and full fat products that will keep them tweeting well into the spring. Chris capped off: "Suet and lard are great energy sources, while unsalted nuts also sustain birds for longer.
"Black sunflower seeds, mixed seeds, fruit and mealworms are also great avian cuisine choices during cold weather - and peanut butter is a hit with many species, as long as it’s unsalted."
As the bleak run of weather continues, there is a worry that birds will die off. The RSPB says that the size of the bird also determines whether it survives in the harsher months.
Its website states: "The smaller the bird, the more likely it is to be affected by long periods of cold weather. Many birds do die through starvation in winter, but it’s only if freezing temperatures continue during the daytime and night time for several days in a row that there's a likelihood that lots of birds will die."
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