7 Kitchen Scraps You Should Save for Backyard Birds This Fall – Give Them a Helping Hand as Temperatures Drop

In late fall, bird feeders start emptying a lot faster. Black-capped chickadees make trip after trip to cache seeds in tree bark, while northern cardinals arrive at the crack of dawn and linger until dusk. As fall nights lengthen and temperatures plunge, small songbirds burn through a lot of stored body fat just to get through a long, cold night and maintain core body temperatures of 105°F (40°C) until sunrise.

Summer's bugs are mostly gone, and whatever is left on the coneflowers and dogwoods will be getting rapidly picked over as the weeks go by. So your local birds need all the help they can get. But you don't have to buy anything special or massively expensive to start feeding birds this time of year. Key kitchen scraps set out alongside the seed can give them a little extra boost in the next few weeks. Even a bruised apple or a few plain peanuts can help to keep them going.

Transforming a few everyday, wholesome kitchen leftovers into supplemental treats provides immediate, calorie-dense relief right when birds need it most. However, it’s important to be discerning and use the right scraps. Birds possess delicate digestive systems. Salty or moldy leftovers can make a bird sick, and a couple of common kitchen foods are toxic to them. So make sure you are topping up your feeding supplies with the right handy kitchen scraps – to help out hungry beaks on a budget.

Best Kitchen Scraps for Birds

If you’re offering your birdie pals these “cheep and cheerful” kitchen scraps (pun intended), just be mindful of cleanliness and portion control. Fresh scraps lack the protective husks of wild seeds, so they spoil rapidly when exposed to fall damp. Leftovers that sit out overnight can sour, harbor harmful bacteria, or attract nocturnal scavengers such as rats. Offer only modest quantities in the morning which birds will devour by early afternoon, and sweep away any uneaten remnants before dusk.

Keeping things clean is critical, as communal feeding areas can easily become hotspots for infections. Feeding trays and platform feeders need a scrub every week or so, and sooner after rain or heavy traffic. Soak feeder elements in 1 part bleach to 9 parts water, then rinse and let them dry before refilling them. If you’re using a tube feeder, it’s worth investing in a long brush like the Songbird Essentials Extra Long Bottle Brush, available from Amazon, for a versatile bargain to speed up cleaning.

And don’t forget to keep your fresh water supplies regularly topped up in tandem with these kitchen scraps. Birds require plenty of clean drinking water to metabolize high-calorie foods, as well as bathing water to clean their feathers. As night frosts become frequent, it’s a good idea to install a birdbath de-icer or a heated bird bath, such as the Allied Precision Heated Bird Bath with Mounted Bracket, also from Amazon, to protect your water.

Have fun watching your birds pick over these scraps. They aren’t intended to replace your regular bird feeds. But they can give some delightful added nourishment during these trickier transitional weeks. So put some of these out, a little at a time, and enjoy the birdlife putting the following leftovers to good use in these chilly fall mornings.

1. Apple and Pear Scraps

Those soft, bruised apples and pears lingering at the bottom of the fruit bowl make yummy supplemental treats for backyard birds. These sweet pomes deliver quick, easily digestible carbs and sugars, not to mention vital moisture. Fruit-eating species such as American robins, northern mockingbirds, eastern bluebirds, gray catbirds, and nomadic cedar waxwings will eagerly feast on fresh diced fruit.

Preparation is key: always cut apples and pears into small, bite-sized cubes (roughly a quarter-inch) to make them manageable for smaller bills. Make sure you remove all the seeds (or pips) out of the cores. Apple seeds contain a compound that can release cyanide. And any moldy pieces need to go in the compost. Fruit-eaters rarely visit seed tubes, so set the pieces on a sturdy, open platform feeder like the Kingsyard Platform Feeder from Amazon, which can house a healthy bird feast in comfort and safety.

2. Plain Rolled Oats

When clearing out the pantry, there are usually some dry rolled oats or steel-cut oats sitting at the bottom of a canister. This can make a wholesome carbo boost for birdies. Uncooked oats supply fiber, minerals, and steady energy for ground-foraging birds. Mourning doves, dark-eyed juncos, song sparrows, and native towhees will all happily hoover up any scattered across a low ground tray or gravel border.

Just make sure they are raw, plain, and dry. Never set out leftover cooked oatmeal, as cooked porridge turns into a gummy paste. Furthermore, steer clear of instant flavored oat packets, which are loaded with refined sugars, salt, and artificial flavorings. Scatter only a handful at a time on dry days, as wet oats quickly sour and congeal. And make sure to supplement your oats with a hearty wild bird mix like the popular Pennington Wild Bird Food from The Home Depot.

3. Unsalted Nuts

Plain, unsalted peanuts might be the best thing in the pantry for birds preparing for winter. Raw or dry-roasted, unsalted nuts are packed with heart-healthy fats and dense proteins that small birds need to bulk up reserves ahead of winter. Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, and almonds also attract an enthusiastic crowd, including tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, woodpeckers, and blue jays. Jays in particular will happily carry off whole shelled peanuts to stash in tree hollows and mulch beds.

Never offer nuts that contain added salt, spicy seasonings, sugar glazes, or chocolate. Birds have minimal tolerance for sodium and cannot process salty cocktail party leftovers. Crush or chop whole nuts into coarse pieces, so smaller songbirds like chickadees and nuthatches can eat them safely. And keep a lookout for any that smell musty or stale and remove quickly to prevent infection. The very affordable Round Peanut Bird Feeder from Amazon is a novel way of dishing up your nuts.

4. Plain Cooked Rice

Rice has a reputation for swelling up and bursting birdie tummies. But this myth has been debunked by ornithologists. Plenty of wild birds (like doves and bobwhites) eat rice. However, from a nutritional standpoint, plain cooked rice is the superior choice for backyard songbirds. Steamed brown or white rice leftovers offer quick carbs that are easy for house sparrows, doves, rock pigeons, and common grackles to digest.

The rice must be cooked with zero butter, cooking oils, salt, soy sauce, garlic, or onions. Also, damp rice is susceptible to bacterial contamination, so only put out a few tablespoons at a time on cool mornings. Sweep away uneaten grains each day to keep your feeding station rodent-free. Rice is a tasty snack, but supplement with high protein treats. You can buy Kaytee Dried Mealworms from Walmart.

5. Leftover Berries

Slightly squishy blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries that might be lingering in the fridge crisper drawer are a scrummy treat for birds. In nature, wild berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and simple sugars that provide instant fuel. Northern mockingbirds, eastern bluebirds, and American robins will find fresh berries irresistible as natural hedgerow fruit diminishes. And a flock of cedar waxwings may empty a tray by lunch.

Serve berries fresh and unseasoned, slicing larger strawberries into quarters. Only place small portions on a clean feeding platform early in the day, as high-moisture berries degrade rapidly. If you’re after a standing bird feeder that can hold fruits and keep them better protected from rain, the charming Ontala Metal Bird Feeder and Bath with Umbrella, available from Amazon, is great value and a real talking point. A word of warning if you are a dog owner: never substitute fresh berries with dried raisins or currants. They cause kidney failure in canines, even in tiny quantities.

6. Plain Cooked Potatoes

When preparing dinner, set aside a small portion of plain baked, boiled, or steamed potatoes before adding butter, milk, or seasoning. Boiled potato is fine in small amounts if nothing's been added to it. It provides easy starch on freezing mornings. Starlings, common grackles, jays, and robins will happily pick apart soft potato cubes when natural insect foraging grounds become frozen and inaccessible.

Prep your bird-friendly spuds by chopping them into tiny, crumbly, pea-sized bits so they are easy for birds to ingest. However, never feed birds raw potatoes or any green-skinned bits. These contain solanine, which causes gastrointestinal distress and neurological damage in birds. And avoid french fries, salty potato chips, or buttery mashed potatoes. To supplement your potato with a “meaty” treat, hang out some suet. Placed in cages, like the More Birds Double Suet Feeder with Weather Guard from Amazon, this gives a nourishing fall boost to prime birds for winter chills.

7. Leftover Unsalted Seeds

This is prime pumpkin-carving season, leaving behind mounds of gooey seeds that are often destined for the trash. But fresh pumpkin seeds, butternut squash seeds, and raw sunflower seeds are nutrient powerhouses for backyard wildlife. They are loaded with raw fats, plant proteins, and magnesium, all of which cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and blue jays need now.

Place the seeds in a colander, rinse away any stringy pulp and spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to air-dry for 24-48 hours. Leave them raw and unsalted. To help smaller beaks, run your dry seeds through a food processor for a few pulses to crack the husks. If you need to, you can grab a bag of National Audubon Society Black Oil Sunflower Seed from Lowe’s to bulk up these free treats as they are sure to go fast.

Scraps You Should Never Feed Birds

Some leftovers belong in the trash, however cold it gets. The theobromine in chocolate is toxic to birds. Avocado is another hard no, as it can cause heart damage and death. Salty snacks and cured meats need to stay inside, plus anything cooked with onion or garlic. Bread is a bit of a gray area, as it isn't harmful, but it fills a bird up without much fat or protein.

Bacon grease trips people up. It seems like a handy base for treats, but it's salty and carries preservatives. It also stays soft, and soft fat smeared on feathers can damage their waterproofing. For a safe birdie snack along similar lines, opt for suet cakes that are designed for the job. The double-basket Woodlink Suet Basket from Walmart holds two cakes, handy for when woodpeckers and nuthatches line up in the cold.

Shop Bird Feeders

Making more of kitchen scraps feels great in terms of recycling, and it can also help you save a little on multiple bird food products. It also means you have a bit more cash freed up to treat yourself and your local birdlife to a pretty feeder. Plenty of options offer smart functionality and real-time footage of your feeding friends. These curated picks are some of the best for aesthetics, value for money and bird-friendly features, letting you feast your eyes on your feathered pals while they chow down.

Treat Yourself

Supplementing your fall bird feeding with these kitchen scraps is a great way to reduce household waste while giving local wildlife a crucial calorie boost. Just remember they are designed to serve as supplements rather than replacements to your existing bird feeds. Make sure you offer a diverse natural diet this fall, and combine these scraps with fresh water, to keep your backyard birdies thriving and happy all season long.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!