The Budget-Friendly Kitchen Staple That Can Attract Birds To The Garden

Putting out bird feeders is, in many ways, mutually beneficial for both you and your local birds. In exchange for a little bit of your time, effort, and money, you and your family can enjoy watching and learning from an active backyard ecosystem. Birds don't necessarily need supplemental feeding — and they won't become dependent on human handouts or too lazy to feed themselves — but they can benefit from some extra calories during lean times like winter. And who doesn't appreciate an unexpected treat every now and then? While you may be stocking your feeders with store-bought seed mixes, it's possible those blends don't provide all the nutrients that birds might need during times of scarcity. Cooked pasta is one carbohydrate-rich pantry staple that might make your bird feeder more enticing.

Whether offering seeds only or "people food" to attract songbirds to your garden, there are a few best practices to keep in mind. Make sure to clean and disinfect your feeders at least every other week to prevent mold and disease from accumulating. You may need to clean more often if diseases like salmonella have been reported nearby, or if the weather is particularly humid. Also, consider eliminating tray feeders from your lineup, as they can allow fecal matter and food to come into close contact (yuck!).

Although you might prefer your boiled happiness with sauce, seasonings, or butter, it's best to leave all of that out of the pasta you put in your feeders. Seasonings and other additives may sicken your feathery friends, so if you're planning to put out last night's leftovers, make sure it's either plain to begin with or wash it off. You may also want to cut up the noodles to make them easier for small mouths to handle. Be realistic about your portions and try to put out only what will be eaten quickly; after all, would you want to eat crusty, hard, old noodles? Birds don't want it, either.

To keep birds visiting your garden without relying on seeds alone, you can also try offering other kitchen scraps like cooked or uncooked rice (the awful myths you've heard about rice expanding inside birds' stomachs are just that — myths), dried grains, or unseasoned, stale nuts crushed into bite-size pieces. However, make sure you don't feed any nuts that are moist or moldy, as these can lead to dangerous fungal infections in birds.