Can wild birds eat strawberries
If wild birds can in deed eat strawberries this is sure to open up the possibility of attracting a wider sort of birds to your garden, and the good thing is...
You can feed strawberries to wild birds; well it may not be what the birds would normally eat, the sweet taste of strawberries would be welcomed by Robins for sure, but may attract crows or blackbirds. Treating your garden birds luxury fruits has enormous benefits to there health and makes for an interesting watch.
Not just strawberries mind, they can eat berries, grapes, pears and cherries, well wild birds can eat apples by eating whole or sipping the juice.
In the case of strawberries we can say for certain wild birds are likely to eat the strawberries there and then, well occasional they will sip.
Most often they won't hang around for you to admire, the strawberries are small and light enough to be picked up by all birds to then fly away.
If you wish for them to hang around, fill up a bird feeder with strawberry as wild birds will be forced to perch and feed that way.
What wild birds eat strawberries
Well Robins will happily eat off your feeder, in the wild they eat insects off the ground, but strangely enough Robins will eat strawberries given the chance, and would seek out fresh fruit to eat from scrubs to bushes.
Not a lot of wild birds native to the UK would seek out fruit to eat, but giving half the chance you may persuade the occasional Blue Tit or Martin.
If anything, they just may experiment.
Preparing strawberries
Well we've answered the question can wild birds eat strawberries, and they do, you should make every effort to present the strawberries to them as fresh has you can.
If ever you're overstocked with strawberries, this would be a good time.
And with that in mind they should be washed thoroughly just as you would prepare them for yourself or a child.
Empty them into a colander and rinse well with cold water, or add strawberries into a big drinking glass, fill with water and empty - them repeat the process until clean.
With the leafy hard stork that protrudes from the top, that needs to be removed too with a knife so only a clean, yet wet strawberry is available to them.
How to present strawberries to garden birds
Rest assured you can present fresh strawberries to wild birds to eat in all types of bird feeders, whether they're for the purpose of fat balls or peanuts.
Providing they can peck away with little obstacles in the way, you should be fine.
If you're using common bird feeders for strawberries. you absolutely most clean it thoroughly of its previous contents, before filling it up with strawberries.
And that should be a habit you must stick to every time you refill in general.
No bird feeder
Its not a problem if you don't have a bird feeder in your garden, you can do one of two things that seem to be more effective than using a hanging bird feeder or one on a stand.
Why not just carefully position a handful of strawberries around the garden; on the wall, fence, shed roof or anywhere it can be seen.
We would say throw a bunch on the ground but it would soon attract bugs that way.
Another way which is our personal favourite is using a cereal bowl you no longer need, whereby it can now be used for feeding wild birds only.
Fill up the bowl with strawberries and find a prime spot in the garden - on the decking, patio or garden path it fine.
And if you do have a bird table of sorts, you can sit the bowl of strawberries there without making such a mess when the birds feed.
Conclusion
You'll be pleased to know wild birds eat strawberries out of your garden, its just a matter of presenting the fruit in a way that would attract them.
Likely birds to feed are Robins with smaller birds giving it a try, well you may attract big birds such as blackbirds, so keep an eye on that as it would become a problem for the smaller birds to eat.
Make sure they're fresh and clean before topping up the traditional suet or peanut bird feeder with strawberries.
Otherwise you can carefully place them around your garden or use a bowl, and see if you get a nibble that way.
Share this article:
