Salt of the earth?

[Cobra]

I have a small flower bed, that is surrounded by paving slabs, that nonetheless gets hammered every night by slugs.
One solution I use is a salt barrier, it seems pretty effective TBH.

Recently I've seen a small flock of sparrows down there most days, there is nothing there for them, apart from the salt, which they seem to be eating.
I'd not thought about it before, but it can only be that.

 

[Box Brownie]

I have a small flower bed, that is surrounded by paving slabs, that nonetheless gets hammered every night by slugs.
One solution I use is a salt barrier, it seems pretty effective TBH.

Recently I've seen a small flock of sparrows down there most days, there is nothing there for them, apart from the salt, which they seem to be eating.
I'd not thought about it before, but it can only be that.

Interesting behaviour, many mammalian species will seek out sources of 'salt licks' but never heard or read of birds eating salt???

 

[Cobra]

Interesting behaviour, many mammalian species will seek out sources of 'salt licks' but never heard or read of birds eating salt???

That was my thought too.

 

[gramps]

Salt​

Garden birds are practically unable to metabolise salt. It is toxic to them in high quantities and affects their nervous system. Under normal circumstances in the wild, birds are unlikely to take harmful amounts of salt. Never put out salted food onto the bird table, and never add salt to bird baths to keep water ice-free in the winter.

RSPB

 

[fujilover]

Birds kinda do an odd dance or hopping on soil and worms stupidly emerge shortly after and get eaten, maybe that is what you are seeing rather than eating the salt there. Maybe the soil is rich in worms.

 

[Norkie]

I have a small flower bed, that is surrounded by paving slabs, that nonetheless gets hammered every night by slugs.
One solution I use is a salt barrier, it seems pretty effective TBH.

Recently I've seen a small flock of sparrows down there most days, there is nothing there for them, apart from the salt, which they seem to be eating.
I'd not thought about it before, but it can only be that.

How unusual!
I used to have an aviary and kept finches and other small birds.
I would keep the grit levels topped up so that the birds would eat the grit to aid the digestion process in the gut. It helps to grind the food down.
Not sure if it’s connected?

 

[Box Brownie]

RSPB

So, perhaps the Sparrows were finding very small insects that were attracted to the salt???

 

[Gav.]

As above they could be after grit, but I wonder if they have used it as a dust bath?

 

[Box Brownie]

How unusual!
I used to have an aviary and kept finches and other small birds.
I would keep the grit levels topped up so that the birds would eat the grit to aid the digestion process in the gut. It helps to grind the food down.
Not sure if it’s connected?

AFAIK yes, all birds except (?) raptors need some grit in their crop to aid digestion and help break up seeds and the like.

One would hope they can tell the difference between grains of salt and grit!

 

[Dale.]

Our street never gets salted in the winter months, so we have salt bins instead, that we have to scatter the salt/grit from. Every morning at every bin, there is salt scattered in front of them over the pavements, more than would be by residents shoveling the salt. I have seen birds, mainly Jackdaws in the bins and at the bin opening and always thought there must be some kind of bugs in the bins, or something like that. Maybe though they are after the grit or salt element of it, I'm not sure.

 

[Cobra]

Birds kinda do an odd dance or hopping on soil and worms stupidly emerge shortly after and get eaten, maybe that is what you are seeing rather than eating the salt there. Maybe the soil is rich in worms.

As above the salt is on paving slabs.

So, perhaps the Sparrows were finding very small insects that were attracted to the salt???

I've never seen any, but I guess its possible

As above they could be after grit, but I wonder if they have used it as a dust bath?

No grit, and I've not seen them bathing in it, just pecking.

AFAIK yes, all birds except (?) raptors need some grit in their crop to aid digestion and help break up seeds and the like.

I used to feed my BoP's grit, well that is they had access to it, from grit, to small (tiny) pebbles it helps with the grinding action of the crop. They generally throw it back out next time they "cast"

Larger pebbles are call "Wrangle" and some put this is food, ( hide it in a DOC for example) it helps to clean the crop.
Some people even go as far as to keep the same ones, and use them time and again.

 

[Gav.]

May be the slugs paid for a clean up crew

 

[Gav.]

Could be mites in the salt

 

[Cobra]

Could be mites in the salt

I hope not as its "table Salt"

May be the slugs paid for a clean up crew

I'm going around the garden after midnight with a torch, doing that, I'm surprised I've not had a knock on the door from Bill