Watching birds stop by your backyard feeder is a simple pleasure, whether you’re spotting bright cardinals, tiny finches, or busy chickadees. Feeding birds can help them find food when natural sources are scarce, but the type of food you offer makes a real difference.
Some kitchen scraps may seem harmless but offer little nutrition, while others can spoil quickly or contain ingredients unsafe for birds. Before you fill your feeder with whatever is left in the pantry, review these 11 foods and learn which ones are best left off the menu.
Baked Goods
Bread, crackers, pastries, and cake may attract hungry birds, but they offer little of the nutrition birds need to stay healthy. Leftovers can also become moldy or attract rodents, so choose birdseed or other foods suited to the species visiting your yard instead.
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Spoiled or Moldy Food
Moldy or rotting food can expose birds to harmful toxins and bacteria. Throw spoiled food in the trash or an appropriate compost system rather than leaving it in a feeder or on the ground.
Dairy Products
Milk, cream, and other dairy products aren’t suitable bird foods because birds don’t digest lactose the way many mammals do. Skip cheese, yogurt, and milk in your feeder and offer species-appropriate foods instead.
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Salty Foods
Birds have different nutritional needs than people, and too much salt can harm their health. Keep chips, salted popcorn, pretzels, heavily salted nuts, and other salty snacks away from your backyard visitors.
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Chocolate
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, compounds that can harm birds and affect their heart and nervous system. Never leave chocolate, chocolate cake, or other cocoa-based treats where wild birds can eat them.
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Whole Nuts
Peanuts, walnuts, and other unsalted nuts can provide useful fats and protein for many bird species, but large pieces may be difficult for smaller birds to handle. Offer appropriately sized, unsalted nut pieces instead, and make sure the nuts are fresh and mold-free.
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Certain Fruits
Many birds enjoy fruits such as berries, grapes, apples, and pears, but fruit preparation matters. Remove pits and large seeds from stone fruits, discard any moldy pieces, and offer only small amounts of fresh fruit suited to the birds in your area.
Dried Foods
Hard, uncooked dried beans can contain natural compounds that make them unsafe to eat, while dry pet food and other unsuitable pantry items may offer poor nutrition or pose choking risks. Skip uncooked dried beans and lentils, dry rice, and other improvised foods, and choose birdseed and foods recommended for the species you want to attract.
Avocado
Avocado contains persin, a compound that can be toxic to several bird species. Keep avocado flesh, skin, pits, and leaves away from wild birds to avoid accidental feeding.
Sugary and Processed Foods
Candy, cookies, donuts, marshmallows, and other sweet treats provide little of the nutrition birds need. Avoid foods with added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or other unnecessary ingredients and stick to suitable seed, fruit, or other bird-friendly options.
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods can cling to feathers or beaks, making feeding and preening harder. Avoid sticky candy, marshmallows, and thick globs of peanut butter; if you offer peanut butter, choose an unsalted variety without added sweeteners, and spread it thinly or mix it with birdseed.
How to Feed Wild Birds Safely
A well-kept feeder can give backyard birds a reliable place to find food, but cleanliness and placement matter just as much as the menu. A few simple habits can help keep your visitors safe year-round.
- Choose suitable food. Offer quality seed mixes, black oil sunflower seeds, or other foods recommended for the birds in your area.
- Clean feeders regularly. Scrub away old food and droppings, rinse thoroughly, and let feeders dry before refilling them.
- Remove wet or spoiled food. Rain and humidity can cause seed and other foods to deteriorate, so discard anything that looks moldy or smells off.
- Place feeders thoughtfully. Keep them away from places where cats can hide, and position them to reduce the risk of birds striking nearby windows.
- Provide clean water. A shallow birdbath gives birds a place to drink and bathe, but it needs regular cleaning and fresh water.
- Reduce crowding. If many birds gather at one feeder, add another station with enough space between them to reduce competition and limit the spread of illness.
- Choose food for local birds. Different species eat different things, so check which seeds, fruits, or other foods suit the birds that visit your yard.
Feeding wild birds can be a rewarding part of backyard life, and you don’t need a complicated setup to do it well. Keep the food fresh, clean the feeder, and stick to suitable options so your feathered visitors can return to a safer feeding spot.
