Why You Should Consider Adding Rice To Your Bird Feeder

A yard or garden full of beautiful birds is one of the many perks of creating an outdoor space these animals will love. Providing a good food source for your feathered friends is a must, and an easy way to do this is by adding feeders. There are several things to consider when adding these containers to your property, such as the best time of day to fill them up and how to keep the birds coming back year-round (hint: try DIY suet cakes). You might even try this simple feeder upgrade that will attract more ground feeders. When it comes to food, there's one you might want to consider adding to your bird seed mixture: rice.

White, brown, or wild rice are the three options, and the latter two are healthier choices for your bird friends. Both brown and wild rice are higher in vitamins and minerals than white rice and also have antioxidant properties. With that said, all three options provide birds with energy through their carbohydrates, making them ideal foods to add throughout the winter when other sources are not as readily available.

The general consensus is that most birds will prefer cooked rice, with the exception of pigeons and doves. With that said, there is no hard and fast rule — uncooked rice won't hurt them, so see what your critters prefer. If you do decide to cook your grains, make sure to avoid seasonings of any kind, including salt. They're not necessary, and some can be potentially harmful. Dispose of any cooked rice they haven't eaten after a few hours (especially in the warm months, as harmful bacteria can start to grow), and clean the feeder before adding new seed and rehanging.

No need to worry about exploding birds, either — the theory that rice kills birds is a myth debunked by Steven Sibley, a Cornell University ornithologist. He contacted the famous columnist Ann Landers when she misadvised a bride-to-be in 1996 by telling her that people throwing rice at her wedding could harm the animals. According to Sibley, rice is not unsafe for birds at all. In a letter republished in Snopes, he noted that rice has to be boiled before it expands, and when birds swallow food, it gets "ground up by powerful muscles and grit in their gizzards." 

Steven Sibley's statements were backed up by the USA Rice Federation and the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, both stating rice was safe for birds and that most birds enjoyed it. Ann Landers wasn't the only one who believed this myth — many people believed it was true. So much so that in 1985, a state legislator in Connecticut proposed a bill banning throwing uncooked rice at newlyweds.