Aussie Finch Forum

Lots and lots of cotoneaster berries about at the moment so was wondering if its any good for the feathered ones ?

Cant help with Cotoneaster but I have a few bushes around here and noticed King parrots and Bullen Bullen's eating berry's off so we now feed our parrots them and still don't know what the bushes are.
Found this http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedide ... l&card=S01" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Says spred by birds sobirds must eat seeds?

Cotoneasters are relished by many fruiteaters (all mine love them) They are not poisonous, they are related to apples, as are pyracanthas and crataegus or hawthorns.

Buzzard-1 wrote: still don't know what the bushes are.

Hi Buzz, Are your berries marble sized and red or orange/yellow Could be hawthorns as many have naturalised in your area.
Botanical name is Crataegus.

There every where here and a lot of a yellow version . Might try one or two out on one of the birds just to see before I give them all a feed .

Mu google efforts say they are members of the Rosacae family ( rose ) . I feed the parrots roses and rosehips so if I have the right plant they should be OK .

Apples and Pears are also in the Rosacae group, Sometimes the seeds can contain a small amount of cyanide in them. Fortunately most birds have a higher tollerance to this than humans.

Thanks , you learn something new every day .