Can birds eat cheese?
Small amounts of mild, hard cheese are fine for some birds, such as wrens and robins, in cold weather. Birds digest lactose poorly, so keep it rare.
The details
Grated mild cheddar is a traditional winter food in Britain for robins and wrens, and the RSPB lists it as acceptable. Birds lack much of the enzyme that digests lactose, though hard cheeses contain very little, so small amounts cause no trouble.
Avoid soft, blue and strongly flavored cheeses, and anything salted heavily. Never give milk.
How to offer it
- A pinch of grated mild hard cheese on the ground near cover.
Avoid
- Milk and soft cheeses
- Blue cheese and moldy cheese
- Large amounts
Birds that take it
Frequently asked
Can birds eat cheese?
Small amounts of mild, hard cheese are fine for some birds, such as wrens and robins, in cold weather. Birds digest lactose poorly, so keep it rare.
Can birds drink milk?
No. Birds don't digest lactose well; milk can cause upset.
Related questions
Sources
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.