All living things be it humans, animals, or birds like to eat delicious food. But not all food items are healthy for us. We humans know what is good for our health and what is not, but birds and animals don’t know about it. They eat what is around and whatever we feed them. In this article, we will have a look at what food items must not be fed to crows if they arrive in your balcony or yard.
You shouldn’t feed the crows seeds containing cyanide traces, uncooked or dried beans, mushrooms, alcohol, peppers, salt less nuts and other harmful products.
Crow feeders are the containers that are used to feed different food items to the crow. They are available in different sizes and shapes, and each has its own benefits. These feeders can also be used to feed different birds. Therefore if you are a bird lover then you can attract multiple birds at the same time without putting much effort.
What should you not feed crows?
Here are few food items that are not good for crow’s health and also I have mentioned the reason why you shouldn’t feed them.
1. Salted and processed food
Even though you see a crow taking a packet of salted or spicy chips from our hand, it is actually not good for their health. Salt is not good for the bird’s health as it dehydrates them, develops blood pressure, and causes kidney failure.
Also, processed food like cheese, jerky and other dairy products are usually rich in salt and therefore should be avoided.
2. Spoiled food
Even though if the crow eats spoiled food from the road or garbage bin on the streets, it is actually not good for their health. This is because the bacterias that are on the spoiled food are not healthy for the birds, including the crows and therefore shouldn’t be given to the birds to eat.
3. Avocado
The Avocado plant leaves contain persin, which is a fatty acid substance that kills the fungus in the plant. Suppose this fungus is ingested by the birds. In that case, it might cause damage to the heart, difficulty in breathing, weakness and even sudden death. Though some types of Avocado is still consumed by the birds, we never know which one is good for the health and which is harmful. And therefore, we should avoid feeding crows avocados and food items made of them.
4. Chocolate
Like humans, even birds cannot resist themselves from eating chocolate and food items made of it. However, consuming even a small amount of chocolate can be dangerous to crows as it contains caffeine and theobromine. These ingredients increase heart rate, causes diarrhoea, vomiting, hyperactivity and even cause death in crows.
5. High fats food
Fatty food items like butter, oil, and fatty meat can build a huge amount of cholesterol in the wall arteries, resulting in heart disease and stroke. Consuming these food items in large quantities can cause obesity and other health problems in the crows.
Can crows eat almonds?
Almonds are an excellent source of protein, and therefore they are beneficial for the crows if they eat them. Also, it is rich in fiber and high in calories, and so it will become a great part of their diet as the crows have to perform daily activity like flying from one to another for food. But, ensure that the almonds are not salted as the salted food items are dangerous for their health.
Can crows eat apples?
Crows can eat apples and other fruits, but they don’t find them tasty compared to the other food items. But if you still wish to feed crows them apples, then you must remove the seeds as it is harmful to the crow’s health. You can also cut the apple into tiny pieces so that it becomes easy for the crows to eat, and each and every crow that comes to your balcony can get to eat it.
Can crows eat cheese?
Yes, crows can eat cheese, but it is not advisable to feed them as it contains lactose and salt, which is not good for their health. Although the amount of lactose and salt varies as per the brands, but still it is found that cheese contains aflatoxins & aspergillosis by degree, which depends on its age and type. Soft cheese is the worst contaminant, and therefore there is always a risk of feeding cheese to crows and other birds.
Can crows eat onions?
Onions are not good for the crow’s health. It contains sulphur compounds that can irritate the lining of the crows mouth, oesophagus and cause ulcers. Onions can also cause a deadly condition in crows known as hemolytic anaemia. And due to these risks, avoid feeding onions to crows and also other members of the onion family like the chives, leeks, scallions and garlic.
What to feed crows?
As we all know that crows eat whatever we feed them, but there are certain food items that are good for their health. So let us have a quick look at what food can be fed to the crows.
- Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Hazelnuts & Peanuts
- Seeds & Grains: Cracked corn, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds, Rolled oats, Millet, Milo and Wheat.
- Berries & Fruits: Grapes, Apples & Blueberries
- Meat: Unseasoned meat & Fish
- Eggs: Raw, boiled or scrambled
- Pets food: Dry cat & dog pellet food
Check out this article in particular to know about corn feeders.
Conclusion
Every food item has either a positive or negative impact on our health. This applies even to birds and animals. Therefore if you want to attract crows to your balcony or if you are already feeding the crows, then these are some of the food items that you shouldn’t feed the crows to maintain their good health.
If you know any other food items that shouldn’t be fed to crows, then let us know in the comment section below.
