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Animal Charity Urges People To Put Cooked Pasta in Bird Feeders This Spring — And It Makes Sense

Apparently, pasta provides the same nutritional benefits to feathered friends as it does for the bodies of humans.
PUBLISHED 4 DAYS AGO
(L) A person takes cooked spaghetti out of boiling water, (R) A bird pecking on the food inside a bird feeder. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | (L) Katerina Holmes, (R) Karen F)
(L) A person takes cooked spaghetti out of boiling water, (R) A bird pecking on the food inside a bird feeder. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | (L) Katerina Holmes, (R) Karen F)

Spring arrives like a wake-up call, jolting beautiful birds out from their nests and propelling them to soar in the clear blue sky. But while everything bubbles with vigor and exuberance, the golden Sun staring from the top becomes harsher than ever, often seeping the life out of birds, leaving them parched and weak. At this moment, tossing away a few strands of cooked pasta into the bird feeder can work like magic. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the animal and bird welfare charity, revealed how this favorite noodle dish can actually supply these critters with all the essential nutrition they need to be their best selves before the climate starts to wreak havoc on their delicate bodies. The pasta doesn’t have to be saucy, though.

A bowl of lip-smacking tomato sauce pasta penne style (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Engin Akyurt)
A bowl of lip-smacking tomato sauce pasta penne style (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Engin Akyurt)

The organization explained that birds love to eat food scraps like “cooked pasta, rice and boiled potatoes or cheese and uncooked and unsalted bacon rinds.” Additionally, “raisins and sultanas” are also good choices for bird feeders, not to forget seeds and grains like nyjer, millet, oats, and sunflower seeds. Apples, pears, and soft fruits are also great options. Things like pasta and oats, and fruits can be served without any precaution. But certain foods can backfire on the nutritional component and actually harm the feathered friends. Peanuts, for instance.

A dish containing peeled peanuts (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Karolina Grabowska)
A dish containing peeled peanuts (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Karolina Grabowska)

“Young chicks might choke on whole peanuts,” the charity explained. To counter this challenge, the peanuts one adds to a bird feeder must be “unsalted, fresh, and that they don't contain aflatoxin (a poison caused by fungus mould).” Plus, peanuts should only be served in feeders with a smaller mesh. For birds who love meaty chops, insects like mealworms or waxworms can also be shared in the bird feeder, of course, if one is courageous enough to accomplish this feat.

A Wren bird attracted to a bird feeder (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tina Nord)
A Wren bird attracted to a bird feeder (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tina Nord)

While cooked pasta is a good option for bird feeders, one should keep certain points in mind before placing it in the feeder. Since pasta dries and hardens too quickly, it can become unappealing for the birds if left in the Sun for too long, explains the Avian Report. Apart from this, the pasta should be fed in smaller portions, based on how much the birds are likely to eat. When fed in the right way and in the right quantity, pasta can become an excellent supply of carbohydrates and calories that birds need so desperately in the season.

A dish of delicious-looking penne pasta (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Gourav Sarkar)
A dish of delicious-looking penne pasta (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Gourav Sarkar)

In addition to the nature-based kitchen scraps, there are also processed kitchen scraps that can be used to feed me. Examples include bread, crackers, cookies, baked goods, and cereals. In the case of baked goods and cereals, a bird lover should avoid using items that are too sugary, greasy, or sweet-flavored as the winged creatures would find it difficult to digest these heavy foods in their teeny little bellies. Wild birds can also be fed with hard-boiled eggs and foods that include protein-rich animal fat. Peas, finely chopped carrots, boiled potatoes, and green veggies are also excellent sources of nutrition for the hungry spring birds.

Fresh vegetables are chopped and set in dishes on the table. (Image Source: Pixabay | Silvia)
Fresh vegetables are chopped and set in dishes on the table. (Image Source: Pixabay | Silvia)

Another clue to notice is that every bird is different. A blue jay may not like the same food as a hummingbird. A parrot may love chillies, but a pigeon won’t even take a bite of these. The trick is to pay attention, observe their patterns, and provide them with a customized buffet that they won’t find otherwise while wandering in the wild.

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