Urban Nature Pictures day 10

[urbpan]

For the second time in a couple months, an unknown person has left a box of pastries on the sidewalk in front of where I live. House sparrows are enjoying the empty calories.

Comments

[roaming.livejournal.com]

I was under the impression, from having read somewhere ages ago, that empty calories from processed breads are actually bad for birds, since it fills them up and they "think" they've eaten but they get no caloric "warming" value out of it, so are more prone then to freezing. SO the advice is "don't give birds bread/pastry!" Have you heard of this?

[greenminions.livejournal.com]

If those types of foods aren't good for humans, I'm not sure they'd be good for a creature that is much, much smaller than us either???

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Yes I have. I think someone brought it up in my "don't feed the rats" brouhaha from a few days ago. This stuff might sustain the birds for a little while, but it ain't doing them any long term favors.