Feeding birds is a pastime many gardeners enjoy, encouraging feathered friends in the backyard. While the usual diet of seed mixes provides healthy nutrition for birds, you can also give them an occasional treat for a boost of nutrients. Apples and pears for birds, for example, are a juicy snack full of vitamins to support their overall health.
So, if you're keen to help garden birds in summer, consider putting out some fruit. Although, you should be aware that there are some words of warning when it comes to apples and pears for birds. In particular, you need to be aware of how these fruits should be served to the birds in your yard, in order to avoid causing more harm than good.
Here, we take a closer look at feeding birds this treat, what you need to know about how to do it correctly, and how to avoid causing them accidental harm.
Why should you give birds apples and pears?
Just like putting rice in bird feeders and putting pasta in bird feeders, leaving apples and pears for birds can provide a nutritious snack full of essential vitamins and nutrients.
In particular, apples (from Walmart) contain carbohydrates for energy, fiber for digestion, and protein for muscle strength. This makes it a beneficial treat for feeding birds in winter, when they use extra energy to keep warm.
Apples also have vitamin A, which supports eyesight, and C, aiding stress management, as well as magnesium and potassium for brain and heart health.
Likewise, pears (from Walmart) are a good water source, keeping birds hydrated during hot summer days, and they have sugars that provide energy. Birds will also benefit from vitamins C and K and fiber from pears, supporting digestive health.
Both fruits are also beneficial for wildlife, unlike foods on the list of what not to feed birds, like salted nuts and other seasoned food.
Make sure to remove apple and pear seeds for birds
'Something to be aware of when leaving out apples and pears for birds is the fruit seeds,' warns Homes & Gardens' Content Editor, Thomas Rutter. 'Apple and pear seeds both contain traces of cyanide which is toxic to birds,' he explains.
For this reason, you should remove seeds from apples and pears for birds. This apple corer tool from Amazon can help make this an easier process.
You can then plant the apple tree seeds to try and grow your very own apple tree, and likewise grow a pear tree from seed.
'Not only this, but it's important to not solely provide birds with fruit,' Thomas adds. 'A balanced diet of seeds and grains found in commercial bird food (like this seed mix from Amazon) will provide a wider range of nutrients birds need.
'Instead, add pieces of apple and pear to bird feeders every few weeks as a treat. Make sure they're chopped up into smaller, bite-sized pieces for birds, too,' he advises.
Of course, you can also incorporate some bird feeder alternatives in your yard, like shrubs with berries, to provide an even larger array of food sources.
FAQs
Which types of apples are best for birds?
When it comes to the best apples for birds, crab apples and cooking apples are considered the best choice. These organic apples are less likely to have been treated with chemicals, as some supermarket apples are, making them a safer choice for birds and better for their health.
If you want to take your bird feeding game to the next level, try also feeding birds potato. This snack has a high carbohydrates content, providing plenty of energy to birds. Make sure to cook it first, however, as uncooked potato can be harmful.
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Use this bird feeder tray to hold seed mixes and occasional treats like apple and pear for birds.
