Hi Tweets,

An interesting study by Newcastle university in the UK found that birds at
British feeders preferred conventional over organic bird seed.

"Protein is an essential nutrient in the diet of all birds and mammals and
getting enough of it -- especially in winter -- can be hard.

"We showed that when given free choice, wild birds opt for the conventional
food over the organic, and the most likely explanation is its higher protein
content.

"This study is only looking at one aspect of the organic food debate -- it
does not take into account the long-term health implications of using
chemical fertilisers and pesticides, or the often negative environmental
impact of conventional farming; for example, other work has shown that
pesticides can strongly reduce availability of seeds for birds.

"But it does raise questions about the nutritional benefits of organic food
and what consumers are being led to believe."

More here:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100518230515.htm

Michael Price
Vancouver BC Canada
loblollyboy at gmail.com

Every answer deepens the mystery.
- E.O. Wilson
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