Mar 17, 2021 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, April 2018

Save Your Eggshells for the Birds!

Many species, including tree swallows, eat crushed eggshells both for calcium and for use as grit.
Share:

Save your eggshells and offer them to the birds. Female birds need calcium—especially during egg-laying season. When cooking, save the empty, rinsed-out egg shells in the refrigerator in a jar or plastic container. After you've accumulated a dozen or so, bake them on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for half an hour to kill any residual bacteria. When the shells have cooled, crush them into small bits and offer them to the birds on a platform feeder; toss them on a roof; or scatter them on a deck railing or sidewalk.

Did you know that Watching Backyard Birds is the only magazine in North America devoted entirely to backyard birds? Subscribe today and receive a heaping helping of backyard content year-round! »



What do you think? Tell us!

comments powered by Disqus

New On This Site

The Latest Comments

  • Re: HOME IMPROVEMENT: Simple Steps to Make Your Backyard Habitat a More Welcoming Place for Feathered Friends
    Thank you for sharing some things to take into consideration when it comes to backyard renovation, this is very timely as I'm planning to turn a portion of my backyard into some sort of patio while maintaining a nice open lawn area as well. I saw some outdoor furniture and outdoor decor on this website and after reading this article, I checked them out again and I found more stuff that I would love to buy for my new patio.
    by Eleonor Baker, Thu, 15 Apr 2021
  • Re: These Holiday Gift Ideas Are for the Backyard Birds
    Something is wrong with the Goldfinches in April 2021. I had to stop putting seed in our feeder because the birds seem to have a hard time flying. That attracts our cats, and I do not want to feed the cats. I have actually picked up two birds that seemed to be struggling to fly and tossed one into the air and another on a large pile of leaves. They took off, but they are very lethargic.
    by Beasleyhillman, Sat, 03 Apr 2021
  • Re: Jays: At the Table and in the Trees » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    How does one attract Calif Scrub Jays?? Due to neighbors outdoor cats most of birds are gone except a fee hummingbirds.
    by Dee Opde, Sun, 21 Mar 2021
  • Re: How Much Seed in a Pound of Seed? » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    You are talking about "black oil sunflower seeds" but showing regular striped sunflower seeds. There is a BIG difference! There is MUCH less waste with the black oil seeds. Plus they are easier for small birds to eat. They are both shown here: https://www.horsefeedblog.c...
    by Carolyn King, Sat, 20 Mar 2021
  • Re: These Holiday Gift Ideas Are for the Backyard Birds
    How long do other seeds stay fresk? Sunflower seeds? Millet? Safflower?
    by Sue, Sat, 06 Feb 2021