Road side Millet

[iaos]

Hey people,

Driving past road works this morning i noticed that they have used millet on the new batter slopes.

Any ideas if these heads will be suitable to feed to the birds? Is it possible that they might be sterile? If they are sterile are they any value to the birds and will they eat them?

Cheers
Ian

[GregH]

If it has the right sized seed then I'm sure they will eat it but and it's a big but you have to be damned sure it hasn't been sprayed with herbicide. If it is sterile like purple fountain grass then there isn't much point giving it to the birds. That said young Panic grass seed heads (panicles) make excellent nesting material for finches even though it contains no seed.

[jusdeb]

Wouldnt risk it even if its back from the road wind and water will carry the herbicide .....not worth it.

[Jayburd]

exhaust fumes, pesticides and herbicides, I wouldn't risk it. you can grow your own by simply digging a shallow hole and shaking in some seed.

[Matt]

I collect a lot of my seeding heads from alongside quiet roads. I know what areas they spray and I always pick the areas where they slash rather than spray but even so, I still take precautions. I never ever pick from around signs or fence posts and I freeze the seeding grasses before feeding and then check a week or two later to make sure the area hasn't been sprayed.