Linda,

I don't know if this is the reference to which you were referring, but as a
kid I was given the book "Hand-taming Wild Birds at the feeder" by Alfred
Martin. It is an old book, very likely out of print now, as my copy is the
4th printing in 1968. On pages 18-20, the author relates a case in 1944 of a
chickadee that became egg-bound after eating peanut butter. As a
taxidermist, he had seen other cases as well. The author then states that
birds feeding on peanut butter lose the gravel from their gizzard and do not
function normally; the gizzard shrinks and the liver becomes enlarged, and
soon the bird is very ill or dead. I'm not sure about the truth in this
last statement, but the author is convinced that peanut butter is bad for
birds, especially during the egg laying season.

At any rate, I don't feed peanut butter at my feeder.



J. Acker

Bainbridge Island, WA

Owler at sounddsl.com



A voice unspoken (or unwritten) is a voice unheard.

Be heard!



_____

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of LINDA
PHILLIPS
Sent: Sunday, January 13, 2008 10:56 AM
To: Tweeters
Subject: [Tweeters] Peanut butter warning




Hi Tweeters,


I am going to Kalispell, Montana next month so I have been monitoring the
MOB website (Montana's equivalent to Tweeters) This morning I saw this post
and thought it is something Tweeters will be interested in.


Does anyone have thoughts as to how valid it is?


Re: Peanut Butter


Posted by: "Judy Hoy" bjhoy at localnet.com jah.starling66


Sat Jan 12, 2008 8:27 am (PST)


Hi All,

I don't know how many people feed peanut butter to the wild birds, but
I would like to share something that I read several years ago in a book
about bird behavior. I will have to see if I can find the book to get
the author and title. I do remember what the observations were
concerning small birds and the consequences of eating peanut butter
during the egg laying season. The author observed that hen chickadees
and nuthatches that ate peanut butter would not be able to expel their
egg when it was time to lay it - there is a term for that - maybe egg
compaction - but will have to look that up also. Death often results
because of infection in the hen incurred when the egg eventually breaks
or because the hen can not defecate because of the egg being in the
way. The author strongly urged that peanut butter feeding be stopped at
least a month prior to egg laying season. In the interest of erring on
the side of caution, I am passing this on now. When I find the book, I
will post the title and author.

Thanks for helping the birds,
Judy Hoy
Stevensville, MT