Wild Fact: Egg Shells for Birds

After laying eggs in the spring, female songbirds often lack calcium. You can help them replenish this important nutrient by providing your leftover eggshells. Simply rinse the eggshells in plain water, dry them, and then bake on a cookie sheet at 250F for about 30 minutes (or until the edges just start to turn brown). After cooling, crush the eggshells into small pieces. These little tidbits of calcium are then ready to be placed in a platform bird feeder, along a deck railing, or scattered on the ground. Many songbird species, including insect eaters that normally don’t visit feeders, may be drawn to your yard by eggshell offerings.

WILD Fact is a new regular feature written by Linda May, a wildlife interpretive specialist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division based at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield, Georgia.

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