Hygiene in the garden is important when feeding birds. Don't put out too much bird food at any one time and ensure that feeders and bird tables are cleaned regularly. There have been a number of cases this winter of birds, particularly greenfinches, dying of salmonella poisoning. This is partly due to the wet, mild conditions but is probably also contributed to by accumulation of droppings around feeding areas. Stale white bread is fine.
Some kitchen left-overs are fine, such as the bone left over from the roast.
Ideally, fresh peanuts or sunflower seeds will always ensure that you keep your birds well fed and healthy. There has been some concern about peanut imports into Britain this year due to the contamination of some stocks by a fungus which produces a poison called aflatoxin. While this is a potential risk, the RSPB is unaware of bird poisoning as a result. Anna Cassar Is the RSPB for or against keeping birds as pets, and if so which are best. We're very much against people keeping birds taken from the wild as pets.