Householders urged to sprinkle rice on bird tables this summer
Householders are being advised to sprinkle rice on their bird tables this summer to help out during a very important season.
Over the next few months, several young birds across Britain will be learning to fly the nest to make their own way into the world during the fledging stage. Fledging is the stage in a flying animal's life between hatching or birth and becoming capable of flight.
During this time of the year, bird species are at risk of dying due to a reduction in food. This happens due to climate change and pollution as well as a drop in insect numbers. To help with the difficult period, gardeners are being urged to do what they can to help birds out by providing food for them, which in turn will help young birds too, according to the Express.
Thankfully, you don't need to buy posh bird seeds from garden centres or pay through the nose to help wildlife out.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds says that pastry, cooked rice (it must be cooked, never raw!) and breadcrumbs can all be used to feed birds occasionally, alongside other items like apples, pears, and seeds and nuts.
The RSPB says: "When buying bird food, try to get a good mix of seed, peanuts, suet and mealworms.
"Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and Blackbirds.
"Household scraps like pastry, cooked rice and breadcrumbs should only be offered in small amounts occasionally."
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Of course. it's important to cook the rice first, as uncooked rice can cause digestive issues in birds, which is one of the reasons throwing rice at weddings fell out of popularity.
So always use cooked rice, never raw.
Whatever you leave out, be sure to clear away any uneaten food at the end of the day, and clean any bird table regularly.
This is because the RSPB recently pulled flat bird tables from sale while it investigates the possible spread of disease it says could be caused by flat tables, due to food being left out exposed to the elements.
It recommends cleaning bird tables, as well as nesting boxes, regularly and removing any uneaten food.
Experts warn that certain feeder designs, especially flat surfaces, could be harmful to birds due to the disease Tricomonosis, which particularly affects Greenfinches and Chaffinches. Bird specialist Lucy Taylor said: "This is because the disease Tricomonosis – which especially affects Greenfinches and Chaffinches – can more easily be transmitted when an infected bird drops food onto the flat surface, which another bird then picks up."
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