Homemade food for baby sparrow
This Is What To Feed Baby Birds — And How To Feed Them
If you’re wondering how to feed a baby bird, there are a few important things you need to know. Baby birds usually eat what their parents eat for dinner, since the parent has to burp its food into the mouth of its offspring. Birds cannot break down food at birth, so their parents must first partially digest the food to make it safe for chicks. Since baby birds are dependent on their parents not only for food but also for instructions on how to be a bird, it is essential that it stays with them. So, if you find a baby bird on the ground, try to bring it back to the nest rather than looking after it yourself. If you cannot return the bird to its nest, contact a rehabilitation center that can take care of it.
Contents
- Consult the experts if you think a baby bird isn’t being fed
- What to feed a baby bird
- What not to offer when feeding baby birds:
- DIY baby bird food
- How to feed a baby bird
Difficulty
Easy
Duration
15 minutes
What You Need
-
Dog or cat food, boiled eggs, or raw unseasoned liver
-
Small pieces of fruit or veggies
If you’re raising domestic birds or are licensed to take care of wild animals, however, then it’s important to know how and what to feed baby birds — and sometimes, even learn how to DIY baby bird food.
Consult the experts if you think a baby bird isn’t being fed
If you find a baby bird that does not seem to be fed, look for an hour or two to see if its parents provide food for it again. Note that the mother bird only needs a few seconds to feed its baby, so inattentive observers could miss several feeding cycles. However, if one parent bird has to look after several baby birds in different places, parental visits could be irregular. When the baby bird is fed, you can be sure that its parents have provided its needs, and there is no unnecessary intervention if the baby bird does not appear injured or sick.
Step 1: If the baby bird does not appear to be fed and becomes increasingly weak and lazy, the first step should be to find a licensed rehabilitator to provide, or guide you through, the appropriate care.
Step 2: If you have found a baby bird that needs to be fed but does not have contact with its parents or an animal rehabilitator, it is essential to know what a baby bird needs a portion of food similar to its natural diet.
While each wild bird has its own diet, different types of food can serve as an emergency ration if necessary.
What to feed a baby bird
In nature, baby birds eat the same things that their parents eat: Worms, insects, and seeds. However, chicks can eat different types of food if they are taken care of by whoever found them. You could use puppy food soaked in water until it’s like a sponge. Moist dog or cat food can also be used in a jam when at room temperature. You can also use finely chopped fruits and vegetables (such as corn or peas) and even small insects.
It is equally essential to recognize that baby birds have very different nutritional needs than adult birds. What an adult bird eats can harm its young. As a baby bird grows, its diet can be adapted to more raw meat, giving them the protein that’s needed. As for water, a baby bird gets what it needs from the food it eats.
Food suitable for baby birds:
- Boiled eggs
- Moist dog food
- Wet cat food
- Raw liver (without seasoning)
What not to offer when feeding baby birds:
- Water
- Milk
- Bread and bakery products
- Kitchen waste
Unlike mammals, birds do not drink milk and their digestive systems won’t tolerate milk.
Unfortunately, it’s a common misconception that mixing together bread and milk makes for an ideal feed for baby birds. Milk can be toxic to birds, so avoid feeding it entirely.
When a baby bird is older, it can consume ”adult” bird foods without harming itself and the longer it can stay between strokes.
Cathy Hargreaves/Shutterstock.comDIY baby bird food
One easy recipe for feeding baby birds involves just two ingredients: pet food and water.
- Soaking dog biscuits or kibble in water will create a mushy consistency that’s easy to take and digest for young birds. This mimics the texture of the food given by mama birds in the wild and is also a high-protein option, which is extra important for nestlings.
- A classic biscuit treat like Milk-Bone is ideal for recipes like these. To forgo the mixing and mashing, a canned pet food like the Cesar brand is another great option. You still might want to stir in a tiny bit of water if your bird is particularly young, though.
How to feed a baby bird
Step 1: If you need to feed a wild baby bird, remember to offer foods that have a spongy consistency instead of dripping with water, which can suffocate or drown it. All dry food should be softened before offering it.
Step 2: Food should only be offered at room temperature, never heated or refrigerated.
Step 3: Keep food pieces small and proportional to the size of the bird — tiny birds need tiny bites. Cut or crush food properly to fit the size of the bird.
Step 4: When feeding the bird, be as careful as possible to minimize the risk of additional stress or injury. Never force a bird to eat its food.
Lastly, remember that feeding a baby bird should be only an emergency measure. If one is abandoned and needs care, it should be taken by a bird-rescue organization or an experienced rehabilitator as soon as possible. They can not only feed baby birds with a diet suitable for its type, but they also teach it to live independently, avoid predators, and master other skills to live in nature successfully.
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What to Feed a Baby Bird
How to provide the right nutrition when wildlife rescues aren't an option
By
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz is a bird expert, certified Master Naturalist, writer, and author with over three decades of experience. She's published in several national magazines, including National Wildlife Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and WildBird Magazine.
Melissa has studied hundreds of bird species around the world, traveling to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, the central Pacific, the Middle East, and more on birding expeditions.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 08/26/22
Reviewed by
Kathleen Miller
Reviewed by Kathleen Miller
Kathleen Miller is a highly-regarded Master Gardener and Horticulturist who shares her knowledge of sustainable living, organic gardening, farming, and landscape design. She founded Gaia's Farm and Gardens, a working sustainable permaculture farm, and writes for Gaia Grows, a local newspaper column. She has over 30 years of experience in gardening and sustainable farming.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Fact checked by
Sarah Scott
Fact checked by Sarah Scott
Sarah Scott is a fact-checker and researcher who has worked in the custom home building industry in sales, marketing, and design.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
The Spruce / Catherine Song
Every backyard birder has seen the "starving baby" act by fledgling birds, when they flutter their wings and call piteously for attention from seemingly hard-hearted, indifferent parents. The desire to nurture those fluffy balls of feathers can be strong, but it is important to understand the special needs of a fledgling's diet and know what to feed a baby bird for the best nutrition.
Do I Need to Feed This Baby Bird?
Baby birds have very demanding dietary needs. Depending on their age and species, baby birds may eat off and on for 12 to 14 hours per day, consuming a diet rich in insects for sufficient protein to ensure healthy growth. No human other than a licensed bird rehabilitator has the proper equipment, food supplements, or endurance to keep up that frantic feeding schedule. If you find a baby bird that appears to need feeding, the best thing to do is not to feed it, but to get it to an appropriate bird rescue organization.
In many cases, the begging birds are not abandoned and the parent birds are nearby and tending to their babies as needed, even if they aren't seen.
If you find a baby bird that seems to be unfed, watch the bird closely for a while to see if the parents return to feed it within the hour. Bear in mind that it may take just seconds for a parent bird to deliver a bite to its chick, and inattentive observers may miss several feeding cycles. As the chicks grow, feeding may also be less frequent, and one parent bird may be tending to several offspring in different locations, so parental visits may be uneven. If the baby is being fed, rest assured that the parent bird is able to keep up with its demands, and no intervention is necessary if the baby does not appear injured or ill in any other way.
If the baby bird is not being fed and appears to be growing weaker and more lethargic, the first step should be to find a licensed rehabilitator to provide it proper care. When contacting the rehabilitator, ask for their evaluation of the bird in question before attempting any emergency feeding.
If it is recommended that you feed the baby bird, he or she might have specific suggestions in mind as an emergency measure, and those suggestions should be meticulously followed.
If Feeding Is Necessary
If you find a baby bird that needs to be fed but you are unable to contact a bird or wildlife rehabilitator, it is important to know what to feed a baby bird that will provide similar nutrition to its natural diet. While every wild bird has a different diet, several types of food can serve as emergency rations when necessary. At the same time, it is critical to understand that baby birds have very different nutritional needs than adult birds, and foods you would normally feed to your backyard birds are not appropriate for young fledglings.
Good Foods for Baby Birds
- Moist dog food
- Raw liver (no seasoning)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Dog biscuits (moistened)
- Dog or cat kibble (moistened)
The Spruce / K. Dave
What Not to Feed Baby Birds
- Water
- Bread or bread products
- Whole birdseed
- Milk
- Pet bird food
- Worms
- Kitchen scraps
The more mature a baby bird is, the more "adult" food it can consume without harm, and the longer it can go between feedings.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Tips for Feeding Baby Wild Birds
If it is necessary for you to feed a baby bird, remember:
- Offer food that is spongy in texture, not dripping with water that could cause choking or drowning. All dry food should be softened before being offered to a baby bird.
- Food should be offered at room temperature only, never warmed or heated, and also never refrigerated or chilled.
- Keep bits of food small and in proportion to the bird's size; very small birds need very tiny bites. Cut or crush food appropriately to suit the bird's size.
- While feeding the bird, handle it as little as possible to minimize the risk of additional stress or injury. Never force the bird's bill open to eat.
Caring for Baby Birds
Remember that feeding a baby bird should be an emergency measure only. If a baby bird is abandoned and needs care, it should be taken to a bird rescue organization or experienced rehabilitator as soon as possible.
Rehabilitators can not only feed it an appropriate diet for its species but can help it learn how to find its own food, evade predators, and learn other skills necessary for a successful life in the wild.
If there is no rescue organization or experienced rehab specialist available in your area, keep these tips in mind:
- Identify if the bird is a nestling (few or no feathers) or a fledgling (a feathered bird approaching adulthood). Nestlings will require much attention for a longer period than fledglings, which may be nearly ready for independence quite soon. An older fledgling can sometimes be fine if you simply place it high on a branch where its parents can find it. Nestlings, on the other hand, may require several weeks of attention (assuming a bird rehab organization is not available) to give them a chance for survival.
- Protect it from predators—including family pets. Normally, a simple cardboard box lined with a towel, placed high enough to be out of reach of pets, will suffice.
If using a lidded container, make sure it is well-ventilated. Ordinary room temperature is normally fine, though a gentle heat lamp can be used if the room is very cold at night. But take care not to overheat the young bird—in most cases, no heat source is necessary. - Give it a "nest" by using a small towel or cloth diaper formed into a concave shape and placed in the bottom of the box. This will help support the bird's body until it grows stronger.
- Small nestlings are best fed with moist, well-softened food from a syringe, offered very gently, in small drops. Even a kitchen baster may be too large to be useful. As a nestling grows older, you can offer it food by dangling it from tweezers in front of its beak.
- Never try to feed water directly to a baby bird. Nestlings will get their water needs met through moisture in food. A fledgling can be offered water in a shallow dish—if it's ready to consume water this way, it will drink on its own.
- When a fledgling bird has fully feathered out and is beginning to exercise its wings by flapping, it can be given time outdoors and encouraged to begin flying.
Often, it is enough to simply set the bird's containment box outside in a safe location, open the lid and wait for nature to take its course.
But remember that raising a featherless nestling bird through the fledgling stage and into a mature adult bird is no easy matter. It's always better to leave this to professionals who are experienced in the practice.
Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Picking up baby birds can do more harm than good. Oregon State University.
What to feed sparrows - a feeder and home conditions
You are here: Home / Birds / Bird care
Maya Barsukova •
Sparrows are the most familiar and favorite birds of adults and children.
But few people thought about how to feed the sparrows, because there has always been the idea that they are omnivores. Some foods can harm the health of these little feathered friends of man.
What to feed a sparrow in a feeder
The most common feeding option for birds is bread. However, a long loaf and other flour products can hardly be called a useful food product for sparrows, rather the opposite. Zoologists recommend feeding birds with cereals (rice, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, barley), as well as many types of seeds. The most popular are sunflower seeds. Seeds should be given raw. As a protein supplement, sparrows can be offered pieces of lard, cut very finely.
It is not recommended to feed the birds with wet seeds or soaked bread, because in the cold they quickly turn into ice, and the bird will not bite through such food.
How to feed a sparrow at home
If it was decided to leave the sparrow at home, then caring for the bird will require some effort and time, you need to be patient.
Sparrow eating schedule is frequent, every 1-2 hours. If the sparrow does not receive its food norm on time, it will feel bad and even fatal.
The diet must be complete. Since birds mostly eat grain, for a feathered one you need to buy a mixture of cereals at the pet store. Due to the fact that the sparrow is not a poultry, there is no target food for this species of bird on sale. But if you consult the seller, an experienced specialist will always offer a suitable option for the finished grain mixture.
In addition to cereals, the bird can be given a chopped boiled egg, pieces of raw meat. Insects are also an important part of the diet. In the warm season, you can catch grasshoppers and caterpillars for birds. And in the cold, you will have to go to the pet store and purchase live insects.
In addition to this, you need to feed the sparrow at home with vegetables and fruits, but they should be given only in grated form, since the sparrow's beak is not able to capture large pieces.
Gray birds love apples, carrots, beets, bananas, pumpkins, and corn.
What not to feed sparrows
- Black and dried bread. Black bread is contraindicated for sparrows, and stale, hardened bread can disrupt digestion or lead to other diseases of the digestive tract.
- Dried insects (flies, cockroaches, crickets). If dead and old insects are found at home, then you can’t feed them to a feathered one, it can get poisoned or die.
- Flies and midges stuck to sticky tape.
- Stuffing from semi-finished products (dumplings, pasties, dumplings, pancakes with meat).
- Cow or powdered milk. Sparrows are lactose intolerant.
- Stale mixtures or feed. The bird's stomach is sensitive, so you should check the expiration dates of the goods in stores.
- Earthworms. There is an opinion that worms are useful for birds, but they often carry infectious diseases and helminthic invasion, so you should not experiment.
- Tablets or vitamins without a veterinarian's prescription.
How to feed sparrow chicks
If a sparrow chick is without feathers, then it is a few days old. To feed such tender chicks, a liquid feed mixture is needed.
The recipe is as follows:
- 1 chicken egg - can be replaced with a quail;
- boiled wheat, approx. 20 gr;
- raw grated carrots, 15 gr. without juice;
- finely chopped lettuce, 10 gr;
- boiled beef, 15 gr;
- 1 calcium tablet.
Mix all the ingredients in a blender until a liquid, homogeneous consistency. The mixture can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer, and then just wait until it melts and heats up. The feed temperature should be close to the bird's body temperature.
Sparrow chicks may be fed with syringes, pipettes and brushes. After each meal, the bird should be given water, about a couple of drops. It should be remembered that the chick must be fed every hour or even half an hour.
At night, the digestive processes slow down, so you can take a break of 6 hours.
Tags: sparrows, feeder
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What grain do sparrows eat - Ogorod.guru
Contents
- 10036
- 2 What to feed sparrows at home
- 3 What not to feed sparrows
- 4 What to feed sparrow chicks
- 5 Is it possible to feed rice to birds in feeders
- 5.1 Is it possible to give raw/boiled rice
- 5 . feeder other cereals
- 6 What is the best way to feed birds in feeders
- 7 What should not be given as food
- 8 General rules for feeding
- 9 Is it possible to feed poultry with rice
- 10 Why give rice to fighting birds
- 11 Conclusion
- 12 What do sparrows eat in summer?
- 13 What to feed sparrows in winter?
- 13.1 Arranging a bird feeder
- 13.2 Foods that should not be given to sparrows
- 13.3 How to feed a sick sparrow?
Maya Barsukova • 10/04/2018
Sparrows are the most familiar and favorite birds of adults and children.
But few people thought about how to feed the sparrows, because there has always been the idea that they are omnivores. Some foods can harm the health of these little feathered friends of man.
What to feed a sparrow in a feeder
The most common feeding option for birds is bread. However, a long loaf and other flour products can hardly be called a useful food product for sparrows, rather the opposite. Zoologists recommend feeding birds with cereals (rice, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal, barley), as well as many types of seeds. The most popular are sunflower seeds. Seeds should be given raw. As a protein supplement, sparrows can be offered pieces of lard, cut very finely.
It is not recommended to feed the birds with wet seeds or soaked bread, because in the cold they quickly turn into ice, and the bird will not bite through such food.
How to feed a sparrow at home
If it was decided to leave the sparrow at home, then caring for the bird will require some effort and time, you need to be patient.
Sparrow eating schedule is frequent, every 1-2 hours. If the sparrow does not receive its food norm on time, it will feel bad and even fatal.
The diet must be complete. Since birds mostly eat grain, for a feathered one you need to buy a mixture of cereals at the pet store. Due to the fact that the sparrow is not a poultry, there is no target food for this species of bird on sale. But if you consult the seller, an experienced specialist will always offer a suitable option for the finished grain mixture.
In addition to cereals, the bird can be given a chopped boiled egg, pieces of raw meat. Insects are also an important part of the diet. In the warm season, you can catch grasshoppers and caterpillars for birds. And in the cold, you will have to go to the pet store and purchase live insects.
In addition to this, you need to feed the sparrow at home with vegetables and fruits, but they should be given only in grated form, since the sparrow's beak is not able to capture large pieces.
Gray birds love apples, carrots, beets, bananas, pumpkins, and corn.
What not to feed the sparrows
- Black and dried bread. Black bread is contraindicated for sparrows, and stale, hardened bread can disrupt digestion or lead to other diseases of the digestive tract.
- Dried insects (flies, cockroaches, crickets). If dead and old insects are found at home, then you can’t feed them to a feathered one, it can get poisoned or die.
- Flies and midges stuck to sticky tape.
- Stuffing from semi-finished products (dumplings, pasties, dumplings, pancakes with meat).
- Cow or powdered milk. Sparrows are lactose intolerant.
- Stale mixtures or feed. The bird's stomach is sensitive, so you should check the expiration dates of the goods in stores.
- Earthworms. There is an opinion that worms are useful for birds, but they often carry infectious diseases and helminthic invasion, so you should not experiment.
- Tablets or vitamins without veterinary prescription.
What to feed sparrow chicks
If a sparrow chick is without feathers, then it is a few days old. To feed such tender chicks, a liquid feed mixture is needed.
The recipe is as follows:
- 1 chicken egg - can be replaced with a quail;
- boiled wheat, about 20 gr;
- raw grated carrots, 15 gr. without juice;
- finely chopped lettuce, 10 gr;
- boiled beef, 15 gr;
- 1 calcium tablet.
Mix all the ingredients in a blender until a liquid, homogeneous consistency. The mixture can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer, and then just wait until it melts and heats up. The feed temperature should be close to the bird's body temperature.
Sparrow chicks may be fed with syringes, pipettes and brushes. After each meal, the bird should be given water, about a couple of drops. It should be remembered that the chick must be fed every hour or even half an hour.
At night, the digestive processes slow down, so you can take a break of 6 hours.
From an early age, parents try to instill in their children a wonderful trait - love and desire to help our little brothers. The easiest step in this matter is to build a simple feeder and treat the birds from time to time. However, do adults themselves know how to properly carry out this assistance so as not to harm the birds? Let's look into this interesting and at the same time difficult issue.
Is it possible to feed rice to birds in feeders? Most often, it is with her that birds are fed. But
Is every grain good for them? After all, doing good, it is important to follow a number of rules and take into account the peculiarities of the life of the wards.
Is it okay to give raw/cooked rice
Many ornithologists have noticed that rice is most often found in street feeders. Raw or heat treated. Do birds eat it? Yes, but it is absolutely impossible to do this! Rice tends to swell with moisture.
Once in the tiny stomach of a bird, grains can cause her suffering.
Is it possible to pour other cereals into the feeder
Other common cereals are dangerous for birds, for example, buckwheat and barley . They have similar properties to rice and increase in volume in a humid environment. Oatmeal and millet (unpeeled millet) are considered harmless. They are sold in all pet stores.
Please note! Millet is part of a special cereal mixture for birds.
What is the best way to feed birds in feeders
Specialists recommend buying food rich in vegetable fat, such as rapeseed and flax . Of the more budget options - raw clean sunflower seeds (seeds). Birds will eat them without a trace and will be satisfied.
Approximate “healthy diet menu” for street birds :
- Lard (internal fat). It should be raw, in no case smoked, salted or peppered.
Raw lard helps birds stay full for a long time due to the calorie content and nutritional value. It is not necessary to grind it, it is enough to hang a piece by the wire. Then it will be convenient for birds to sit on it and peck in small portions. - Coconut and unsalted butter is a very good food for insectivorous birds (great tits, nuthatches, blue tit, blackbirds, etc.). You can add a mixture of various grains and seeds to butter, freeze, make a hole in the prepared form and thread the rope.
- Dried berries of red and black rowan, shadberry, elderberry, hawthorn, bilberry, etc.
- Dried fruits (apples, pears). They are popular with starlings, waxwings and thrushes.
- Unroasted melon, watermelon, pumpkin seeds.
- Chopped nuts (walnuts, peanuts) are preferred by woodpeckers and nuthatches.
- Lightly salted cheese cut into small cubes.
- Dry white bread crumbs are a real delicacy for sparrows.
- Ready mixes for birds from a pet shop.
What not to give as food
Birds should not be fed spoiled food supplies that are fermented and moldy. But there are a number of restrictions that apply to products familiar to humans. They are can cause irreparable damage to the health of birds and even threaten their lives. Birds do not have sweat glands. The entire burden of removing excess salt from the body falls on the kidneys, so they can refuse richly salted food. The musculoskeletal system also suffers, because some salts tend to be deposited in the joints. Then any movement of the bird will cause severe pain. Once you start feeding birds, make it a habit. Important! The more varied you organize your menu, the more bird species will be interested in your feeder. Empty the feeder from time to time. Rot and mold are fertile ground for the development of harmful microorganisms . 
General feeding rules
Give them healthy treats regularly. Birds quickly remember the feeding place and get used to it . Do not forget: we are responsible for those we have tamed!
Is it okay to feed rice to poultry? It seems that this is the same grain as barley, wheat and others. A limited amount of rice, rich in carbohydrates, minerals and B vitamins, will not harm the bird and will have time to digest. However
abuse of this cereal can cause paralysis and even death in chickens .
It is recommended to feed rice to birds during the daytime . Mix it, for example, with vegetables, grass or other feeds.
Feed the birds occasionally with boiled rice diluted with milk .
Chickens especially love this delicacy. They quickly fill up and become energetic.
It is useful to feed rice flour and chaff to birds :
- Mix rice (preferably unpolished) and other food in a ratio of 1:3.
- Dilute slightly with water or milk.
Rice alone or frequent feeding is unacceptable . The productivity and well-being of a bird depends on the diversity of its diet.
Why rice is given to fighting birds
Especially for breeds of fighting cocks, a special diet is developed , since their body needs an increased rate of protein and vitamins. Its basis is compound feed. All kinds of additions to it: dairy products, herbs and even meat. Rice groats are also added.
Due to the high content of vegetable protein, rice stimulates the growth of muscle mass and saturates the body with energy. Another of his merit is the strengthening of the skeletal system.
Conclusion
Helping feathered comrades is a noble cause.
However, it is important to approach it wisely. By understanding the intricacies of the diet of domestic and wild birds, you can easily raise a healthy population and help wild birds survive difficult times.
Sparrows usually do not have problems with nutrition in the warm season. These little feathered creatures are happy to eat food waste, which can always be found in the city. Sparrows, living far from civilization, feed on the seeds of cereal plants, which abound in the fields.
Birds have a problem with food with the onset of cold weather, because not all birds fly south. Fauna lovers often help their feathered friends by making special feeders for them, which are hung on trees. However, not everyone knows how to feed sparrows. They are usually offered bread crumbs and millet. Although the sparrow's diet can be much more diverse.
What do sparrows eat in summer?
Little feathered friends have almost no food restrictions.
Baby chicks are usually fed protein food, namely small insects. It is estimated that the diet of chicks includes about 60% animal food. It should be noted that it is impossible to feed the chick with grains and grass. A tender stomach will not cope with rough food, and the chicks will die.
Adults are less picky. In the summer, sparrows do not have a shortage of food, and therefore they are often lazy and practically do not hunt for insects for food. And why should they do this when they can enjoy food offered by a person. Children especially love to feed the birds. Kilograms of bakery products go to feed the sparrows.
In urban areas, birds get a lot of food from fast food establishments. Moreover, sparrows eat not only muffins and bread crumbs. They are happy to absorb the remains of meat dishes, vegetables and chopped nuts.
What do sparrows eat in natural conditions? Of course, these are the seeds of plants and the greenery itself, which the birds also do not refuse.
If strawberries are found in the grass, then they will also go into action. Surprisingly, sparrows are able to eat food larger than themselves. They peck apples, and they do not refuse fat caterpillars. These creatures of nature, no doubt, can be called omnivores.
Sparrows living in rural areas often come to feed on places where livestock is kept. In hay dust they find plant seeds, and from the feeders in which they put food for livestock, they also manage to snatch a piece or two.
What to feed sparrows in winter?
Birds have a hard time during the cold season. Snow covers the fields, insects hide for the winter, there is practically no plant food. Sparrows are shy birds, but hunger makes them become beggars. What do sparrows eat in winter? Their diet is quite poor. Little birds can't cope without human help. If they are lucky, they can feast on winter berries and preserved seeds. With pleasure, birds absorb millet, sunflower seeds, dried berries. With no less pleasure, they will peck a piece of cheese or boiled sausage.
Ready porridge left over from breakfast can also be offered to sparrows.
The main sources of food for birds in winter are:
How and what to feed the sparrows living in the city in winter? The best option would be to equip a special feeder. True, it will be visited not only by sparrows, but also by all birds that are faced with the problem of winter food shortages. But should this stop a wildlife lover who wants to help our smaller brothers?
Arranging the bird feeder
The sparrow feeder should be small so that it will not be ruined by large birds. A homemade bird feeder can be made from a plastic bottle or milk carton. The presence of a roof is mandatory, otherwise all the food will be washed away by rain or covered with snow. The hole should be such that the bird can freely climb into it and climb back out.
Any leftovers from the human table can be used as top dressing. Birds are particularly good at eating oatmeal, grain nuts, and even melon and pumpkin seeds. You can pamper the birds with pieces of meat. They are preferably strung on a thread, which should be hung from the top of the feeder.
Sparrows quickly become aware of the location of the feeder and begin to visit it regularly. If the feeder remains empty for a long time, then the sparrows lose interest in it and no longer fly.
Video on how to feed sparrows
It is not bad to feed sparrows with buckwheat, and any: boiled or raw. A balanced diet is the foundation of bird health. You can make the right food yourself. It is enough to mix berries, dried worms, herbs and cereals.
Foods that should not be given to sparrows
There are few such products, but they are available. It is not recommended to feed birds with rye and pastries from it.
It is believed that rye breaks the acidity in the body of birds and leads to digestive problems.
This is the opinion of ornithologists, but the inhabitants do not adhere to it very much. When the question arises of how to feed the birds in winter, then there is no time for gastronomic delights.
In general, it is undesirable to give sparrows salted and smoked dishes, but if everything is clear with smoked meats, then it is practically impossible to exclude salt from the diet of birds, since it is present in any pastries and all dishes consumed by humans.
Seeds should only be given raw. Any fried seeds, like any fried foods, have an adverse effect on the digestive system of birds. About 30% of birds suffering from inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract die. However, it is not easy to control the entire diet of the city sparrow. A hungry animal may eat junk food from a dumpster or elsewhere.
Feed sparrows with legumes with caution.
Despite the fact that these crops are a source of protein, indispensable in winter, they negatively affect the digestive system, preventing the normal absorption of food.
How to feed a sick sparrow?
It is not uncommon for people to pick up sick or injured birds and try to feed them on their own. A sick sparrow can be fed with boiled yolk, porridge, white bread soaked in water.
Young chicks should be fed soft protein foods. Ideally, these are worms and insects, however, earthworms should not be given to babies due to the high probability of infection with helminths. You can feed the chick with cottage cheese, raw or boiled meat, which is best ground into minced meat.
If the chick is very small, put food in its mouth with tweezers. Soft food is rolled into small lumps and offered to the baby. The chick grows up within 3 weeks, after which it can be released, but it is advisable to first familiarize it with the feeder, where food will be regularly served for a fragile baby or a sick bird.
A chick may be deficient in vitamins. It can be replenished by introducing into the food special formulations for birds offered in pet stores. There you can also purchase ready-made food, which will include all the necessary elements for the health of a feathered friend. Sparrows are suitable for parrot food. But unlike flamboyant poultry, sparrows are more demanding on meat. Therefore, it is advisable to add boiled chicken breast or shrimp cooked without salt to the sparrow's diet. Do not think that the sparrow's diet will be unprofitable. After all, a bird does not need a large amount of meat food, it is enough to pinch off a piece of meat offered at the dinner table. Sparrow can be offered the following mixture:
- grated carrots;
- crushed yolk;
- cottage cheese.
Video on how to feed a little sparrow
The sparrow will not refuse ants and small spiders.
