Do Birds Eat Paint Chips???
bthache
I've been wondering about this for a few weeks now. I wrote in a while ago
saying I had seen bluejays on top of a fence, bending down over the front as
far as they could reach and pecking at something. At the time, I thought
they were sipping water because it was warmer out and the snow on the fence
had melted. Well, it has since dramatically cooled off so nothing is
melting.... but they're still doing the same action. And not just the
bluejays either.... I've since seen a raven do the same thing on the same
fence. Now, this fence is painted white and the whole top panels are
peeling. It's the only thing I can figure that they're doing... pecking at
the flaking paint.
If this is the case, why on earth would they do it? What would they get out
of paint?? Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
--
Tammie - Northern Ontario
Zone 2b-3
http://community.webshots.com/user/thache
Dick R.
Are the Bluejays and Ravens just pecking at the paint (for some unknown
reason) or are they actually eating it? Can you tell?
Dick R.
Howard Lester
bits of calcium and grit and other stuff sold by places like Audubon
Workshop are good to add to birdfood.
??
bthache
My binos, unfortunately, are not quite strong enough to tell for certain.
All I know is, they keep working on the same spot that is peeling the most
and don't bother with planks that aren't peeling.
Howard may be on to something re: aiding digestion.... I thought about that
too..... but paint??? You'd think it's GOT to be unhealthy or maybe
poisonous???
--
Tammie - Northern Ontario
Zone 2b-3
http://community.webshots.com/user/thache
"Dick R." <di...@visi.com> wrote in message
news:41E43E87...@visi.com...
Howard Lester
"bthache" wrote
> Hiya Dick,
>
> My binos, unfortunately, are not quite strong enough to tell for certain.
> All I know is, they keep working on the same spot that is peeling the most
> and don't bother with planks that aren't peeling.
> Howard may be on to something re: aiding digestion.... I thought about
that
> too..... but paint??? You'd think it's GOT to be unhealthy or maybe
> poisonous???
Fortunately there's no? lead in paint anymore. But maybe there is some
ingredient in it that is attractive to them.
I have no idea...
sue and dave
they may be JUST pecking at the flakes, OR they may be trying to stash seed
in what they percieve to be " caches".
Sorry I haven't been 'round here much but my winter job is kicking my butt
this year, I haven't seen my home or yard or birds in Daylight since
Christmas Day.
Sue
"bthache" <bth...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:34inm0F...@individual.net...
BT
We put out crushed eggshells and that stopped them. Also in the early
summer lots of bird species pulled bits of eggshell from our garden where we
had spread around the compost the prior fall.
Bye now,
BT
"bthache" <bth...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:34inm0F...@individual.net...
bthache
describing my experience with this. Thanks so much for supplying the link.
This is certainly fascinating behaviour and I'm glad to have it figured out.
I guess it's time I start supplying egg shell grit.
"BT" <nos...@nospam.net> wrote in message
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