How To Feed A Bird Correctly
Learn the recommended foods for birds and how to feed them so your pet stays healthy and strong.
We see birds every day, whether on the way to the subway to go to work, in the park where we go for a run every afternoon, or while they fly through the trees of our city. Maybe because we are so used to seeing them, we don’t stop to think about something as basic as what they eat.
Food is a basic need for humans and animals, and birds also need a balanced diet to be physically and mentally healthy. How do we know if a bird is absorbing all the nutrients it needs? They will sing much more and their feathers will be more full of life. To enjoy their singing and know that they are receiving the food they need, we can give them the following food.
What should birds eat?
The type of diet that this animal will have will be based, above all, on seeds. Some essential ones? Canary seed, oats, hemp seed, chicory, and sesame, among many others.
If you want to give them another food that is easier to get, you can try a piece of garlic or onion. Other suggestions include lettuce leaves or fruit, pieces of ham and minced meat or, in the case of birds that are cold like canaries that need to keep warm especially in winter, it is recommended to give them biscuits and unsalted lard, or porridge that we will make by grinding corn, lettuce and honey. To feed the birds, we will first need to determine which ones live near us, as well as which specific seeds we can get.
A well-fed bird sings louder
If you want to feed the hummingbird, you can put nectar in the dispenser. This food is ideal when we put one portion of sugar for every four portions of water. Remember to clean this dispenser especially in summer, when the sugar ferments because it could cause the death of this small, multi-colored animal.
If you feed your bluebird, fill a dish with mealworms, which you can get at a pet store.
If, on the other hand, you want to feed the jay or the nuthatch, go for nuts and give peanuts to these small animals, but be careful! Never in spring or summer. These birds would give the nuts to their young, who could choke on them.
The bird’s diet: a healthy meal
The bird obtains proteins and fats from tallow, which we can place on the trunk of a tree, but never in summer because this food could go bad.
Birds love fruit, a significant part of their diet, and we can be sure that both blackbirds and robins enjoy it to the fullest.
There are seed dispensers to feed the birds
The canary can also eat another type of seed: rapeseed, which is red or yellow in colour. It tastes almost the same as a ripe nut, although it should never taste bitter. Boil it for about ten minutes, then rinse it with cold water. Let it dry.
Hemp seed, on the other hand, is grey to bronze in colour, although it sometimes has a slightly greenish hue. The grain is white, and the flavour is almost the same as that of a walnut. We can crush this seed with the help of a rolling pin so that smaller birds can also feed on it. In addition, it should be soaked for a whole day and rinsed several times. The advantage of this seed is that it provides canaries with oils and vitamin E, both of which are essential for their diet.
Oats are also highly recommended for feeding canaries. They are yellow and are very important for a bird’s diet, especially during winter. The food is very digestible and comes with all kinds of advantages: for every 100 grams of oats, birds will receive 10 grams of water, 0.09 grams of calcium, 0.33 grams of phosphorus, 12.1 grams of protein, 64.3 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of fiber and 4.4 grams of fat.
We cannot forget the benefits of flax, or linseed. Its color is dark, and the feathers of these birds can shine to the maximum thanks to its multiple benefits. 100 grams of flax will contain 7.1 grams of water, 0.23 grams of calcium, 0.66 grams of phosphorus, 24.2 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 6.3 grams of fiber, and 37 grams of fat.
Apples are highly nutritious for birds because they provide protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. Carrots are also recommended because they combat anemia. When they are raising chicks, it is important to incorporate lettuce into their diet as long as it has been washed and dried well. It provides protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat.
Problems arising from poor nutrition of birds
We should never offer a bird food that is spoiled or moldy. It is very important to take these precautions into account to ensure the well-being of these animals. Let us also remember that when birds are in the breeding stage it is essential to feed them properly. Above all, we will ensure that the animal receives enough calcium to live as healthily as possible.
When a bird has not been eating properly and has not received all the vitamins it needs, its feathers will fall out, and it is also important to keep in mind that when its beak grows too long the bird may have difficulties when it comes to feeding itself.