Aussie Finch Forum

Pretty sure they're ok as I've given them before to the birds and they like them for nesting material. ?? This one I'm cautious about. Not even sure if it's a proper grass, but if it is safe would give a good feed. Grassy on the bottom but when I ripped the head stems they were slightly milk thistle like.

Last one looks like a cyperus, possibly Cyperus erogrostis. No idea if it is palatable or poisonous?

All of them are fine to feed to finches. I have fed all to mine without dramas. I don't know the proper name for the bottom one but I call it native sedge as it usually grows in very wet areas. Middle one is paspalum - as long as the seed isn't sticky to touch its fine to feed. Don't know the proper name of the top one either but its one I use often - I call it Pictorella grass as they love to nest in it.
In my opinion, no grass seed is toxic unless it has been sprayed or has obvious fungal infections - I use any grass heads I can find irrespective of species and all are eaten.

Tiaris wrote:All of them are fine to feed to finches. I have fed all to mine without dramas. I don't know the proper name for the bottom one but I call it native sedge as it usually grows in very wet areas. Middle one is paspalum - as long as the seed isn't sticky to touch its fine to feed. Don't know the proper name of the top one either but its one I use often - I call it Pictorella grass as they love to nest in it.
In my opinion, no grass seed is toxic unless it has been sprayed or has obvious fungal infections - I use any grass heads I can find irrespective of species and all are eaten.

Why do you say as long as it's not sticky?

Anyone else concur the last one is safe?

Stickiness on paspalum is often the precursor for ergot (a fungal infection) which is detrimental to birds which eat it.
The last one is absolutely safe as long as it isn't sprayed. I have fed it many times to many finch species.

So the sedge one is OK? I have my complete side passageway covered in it with seedheads and all. Never thought of it to tell you the truth. I always thought it was some kind of papyrus. If so I now have green seed by the bucket load! Yipee.

Ken.

If you place the seeding sedge plant stems in a dry environment, i.e. a glass bottle, the heads will dry out and disperse countless small seeds. Similar to collecting calistermon, acacia & grevillea seeds.

I've got some millets etc growing but just wanted something for now so it can grow. This stuff should be a good filler then. Plus I'm trying to find something other than sprouted seed that my gouldians will eat. Some greens. They are very fussy - won't touch the millet heads from the shop, lebanese cucumber, bok choi etc.
They seem to love the seeding oats from horse hay(I get that from my parents farm in bulk), sprouted seed, finch mix and that's about it.