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> This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --Boundary_(ID_WoL8UBT3dwjgj72xtTJOJg) Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Just a quick addition to Wild Flora's bottom comment, I believe it was in Britain and the small birds were blue tits (chickadees). And when the behaviour was first "invented", it spread very quickly, at least among the blue tits. Cheers from Jim in Wolfville ---------- From: Wild Flora <herself@wildflora.com> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:03:39 -0400 To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Peanut butter (was Thrush) Peanut butter is very popular with birds that visit feeders. In the winter, I buy large jars of it in the bulk food department, then use it to fill a feeder designed to hold prepackaged suet. At my house this winter peanut butter is popular with the chickadees and a single red-breasted nuthatch, and I have known it to attract several varieties of woodpeckers. As a general rule high-fat foods such as peanut butter and suet serve as a substitute for insects, which are also high in fat, when insects are unavailable. However, as a practical matter the birds that eat a combination of vegetable matter and insects, such as chickadees, seem to be far more willing to accept insect-substitutes than are birds that eat insects exclusively. FYI, at one time people were reluctant to offer straight peanut butter to birds because there was a widespread belief that the birds could choke on it. However, as far as I know nobody was ever able to offer any evidence that this actually occurred. Most people who've looked into the matter no longer consider it a serious concern. I've never heard of anyone deliberately feeding dairy products to birds. However, I did once read that back in the days when milkmen left glass bottles of milk on doorsteps small birds would peck them open to get at the cream floating on the top. Wild Flora in Birch Hill, central Nova Scotia -----Original Message----- From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]On Behalf Of Gloria Gilbert Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 2:59 PM To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Thrush Peanut butter? Also, has anyone offered grated cheese to birds? Perhaps it is too salty... Gloria ----- Original Message ----- From: nellie <mailto:n.snyder@ns.sympatico.ca> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 2:18 PM Subject: [NatureNS] Thrush Hermit Thrush still here. Appears to be eating finch seed and rolled oats. Refused rasins, chopped apple, blueberries and grapes.Wish I had acceptable protein. Nellie --Boundary_(ID_WoL8UBT3dwjgj72xtTJOJg) Content-type: text/html; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT <HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>re birds and milk bottles, was Peanut butter (was Thrush)</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> Just a quick addition to Wild Flora's bottom comment, I believe it was in Britain and the small birds were blue tits (chickadees). And when the behaviour was first "invented", it spread very quickly, at least among the blue tits. Cheers from Jim in Wolfville<BR> ----------<BR> <B>From: </B>Wild Flora <herself@wildflora.com><BR> <B>Reply-To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR> <B>Date: </B>Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:03:39 -0400<BR> <B>To: </B>naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR> <B>Subject: </B>RE: [NatureNS] Peanut butter (was Thrush)<BR> <BR> <FONT COLOR="#0000FF"><FONT SIZE="2">Peanut butter is very popular with birds that visit feeders. In the winter, I buy large jars of it in the bulk food department, then use it to fill a feeder designed to hold prepackaged suet. At my house this winter peanut butter is popular with the chickadees and a single red-breasted nuthatch, and I have known it to attract several varieties of woodpeckers.<BR> As a general rule high-fat foods such as peanut butter and suet serve as a substitute for insects, which are also high in fat, when insects are unavailable. However, as a practical matter the birds that eat a combination of vegetable matter and insects, such as chickadees, seem to be far more willing to accept insect-substitutes than are birds that eat insects exclusively.<BR> FYI, at one time people were reluctant to offer straight peanut butter to birds because there was a widespread belief that the birds could choke on it. However, as far as I know nobody was ever able to offer any evidence that this actually occurred. Most people who've looked into the matter no longer consider it a serious concern. <BR> I've never heard of anyone deliberately feeding dairy products to birds. However, I did once read that back in the days when milkmen left glass bottles of milk on doorsteps small birds would peck them open to get at the cream floating on the top. <BR> </FONT></FONT> <BR> <FONT COLOR="#0000FF"><FONT SIZE="2">Wild Flora in Birch Hill, central Nova Scotia<BR> </FONT></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE><FONT SIZE="2">-----Original Message-----<BR> <B>From:</B> naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Gloria Gilbert<BR> <B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, February 06, 2007 2:59 PM<BR> <B>To:</B> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR> <B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Thrush<BR> <BR> <FONT FACE="Arial">Peanut butter? Also, has anyone offered grated cheese to birds? Perhaps it is too salty...<BR> </FONT></FONT> <BR> <FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Gloria<BR> </FONT></FONT><BLOCKQUOTE>----- Original Message ----- <BR> <B>From:</B> nellie <mailto:n.snyder@ns.sympatico.ca> <BR> <B>To:</B> naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <BR> <B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, February 06, 2007 2:18 PM<BR> <B>Subject:</B> [NatureNS] Thrush<BR> <BR> <FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Hermit Thrush still here. Appears to be eating finch seed and rolled oats. Refused rasins, chopped apple, blueberries and grapes.Wish I had acceptable protein.</FONT></FONT> <BR> <BR> <FONT SIZE="2"><FONT FACE="Arial">Nellie<BR> </FONT></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> </BODY> </HTML> --Boundary_(ID_WoL8UBT3dwjgj72xtTJOJg)--
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