FRUIT as food for wild birds (1 Viewer)

wroughtiron · Oct 29, 2004

I started this thread for people to share your experience with feeding fruit. If you have ever fed Apple halves, Orange halves, Grapes, or any other type of fruit, please share with use what birds ate it and how you put it out (on the ground, hanging from a limb, etc)

Nina P · Oct 29, 2004

Fruit eaten by birds in my garden, Apples chopped small eaten by Thrush family, banana eaten by starlings and thrush family, grapes eaten by robin thrush family and starlings, dried fruit all previous mentioned plus nuthatch and tit family. pears much loved by thrushes. All chopped up and placed on tables rather than on the ground, I never see all the feeders but those I can say have eaten what I have mentioned, but I also get chaffinches and bullfinches but if they eat that I haven't actually witnessed it.

Gerry Hooper · Oct 29, 2004

Hi,
Yeah, I sometimes halve an apple and stick them on branches of shrubs to attract Blackcaps, it works well coz the apples last longer than if they were on the ground.
Grape Lovers fly over sometimes. 3

helenol · Oct 29, 2004

At the moment I don't need to put out any fruit, there's a huge apple tree next door on an empty plot that has a very good crop indeed. Previously I used to put out apples cut in half, blackbirds ate them, so did the blackcap. I tried an overripe advocado once, but they all turned they noses (bills?) up at it, so I never bothered again.

Andrew · Oct 29, 2004

We have an orchard and make sure we put out no apples as we want to avoid them thinking of pecking at the apples while they were on the trees as the Starlings did. So, as an avoidance tactic we feed a large amount of nut/sunflower seed based mix all over and they left our apples alone giving us lots of delicious apple pies!

Jos Stratford · Oct 29, 2004

Grapes are tangling all over the place up here, softened up by the frosts ...and boy, do those Waxwings enjoy them!!!

Nina P · Oct 29, 2004

I forgot to say that my blackcurrants and gooseberries don't stand a chance for me to get the blackbirds and thrushes have the lot!

lvn600 · Apr 22, 2005

I try to attract orioles with oranges but only the red-bellied woodpecker seems to eat it. The only time Orioles come to my yard they eat something off of the blossoms of a crabapple tree. I tried putting dried fruit out but I usually eat it by the time I get to the birdfeeder.

Linda Jay · Apr 22, 2005

Blackbirds and Song Thrushes enjoy the sultanas that I've been putting out on the bird table recently. They will also eat apple and banana when I have some that have gone soft.

abagguley · Apr 22, 2005

I read on another site (can't remember where) that if you put out dried fruit such as raisins & sultanas then you shoud always soak them in water first, otherwise they swell inside the birds' stomachs - I don't know if this is true or not.

I bought a bag of raisins yesterday, soaked them & put them out on the bird table for the blackbirds & robins. However, bluetits seem to be the only takers so far - when I try new stuff it sometimes takes the birds a few days to try it.

I'm a bit worried that the bag says the raisins are 'glazed' (with vegetable oil, I think) - does anyone know if I'm feeding something that might cause harm?

Cheers,

Adrian

christineredgate · Apr 22, 2005

Adrian,I have 4 blackbirds and a Song Thrush amongs't others,who devour a huge amount of sultanas and raisins everyday,and do not seem to be suffering from any side effects,except maybe weight gain!!

snapper · Apr 26, 2005

abagguley said:
I read on another site (can't remember where) that if you put out dried fruit such as raisins & sultanas then you shoud always soak them in water first, otherwise they swell inside the birds' stomachs - I don't know if this is true or not.

I bought a bag of raisins yesterday, soaked them & put them out on the bird table for the blackbirds & robins. However, bluetits seem to be the only takers so far - when I try new stuff it sometimes takes the birds a few days to try it.

I'm a bit worried that the bag says the raisins are 'glazed' (with vegetable oil, I think) - does anyone know if I'm feeding something that might cause harm?

Cheers,

Adrian

I buy the RSPB food this has dried raisins & sultanas in it so I think your safe.

lvn600 · May 1, 2005

What kind of birds will eat china girl or blue princess holly berries?

snapper · May 1, 2005

lvn600 said:
What kind of birds will eat china girl or blue princess holly berries?

Hi Ivn600 Blackbirds will eat your blue princess holly berries as to china girl I dont no is it another holly?

lvn600 · May 1, 2005

Its about the same just a little bit lighter green and not as hardy.-thanks

snapper · May 1, 2005

lvn600 said:
Its about the same just a little bit lighter green and not as hardy.-thanks

If there is other food about most birds will eat that but say a harsh winter & lots of different birds will eat these berries in the UK with a harsh winter there will be blackbirds, robins, bullfinches, fieldfares etc.

dampflippers · May 3, 2005

The birds don't seem to like my holly berries which are on a variegated holly bush. I read somewhere that they prefer red berries on a green bush. I have noticed black birds eating them recently though.

lvn600 · May 4, 2005

What does variegated mean?

Birdee · May 4, 2005

Variegated: Having irregular patches of colors ( as in the leaves ) Hope that helps!

lvn600 · May 4, 2005

Thank you-couldn't find my dictionary.

FRUIT as food for wild birds (1 Viewer)

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