# Where Do Ferals Get Their Calcium?



## NYBOY (Sep 15, 2009)

Besides food and water, I always have a bowl of oyster shell and grit for my birds. I was wondering where do seed eating birds get their calcium in the wild? Thanks Alex


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## goga82 (Aug 17, 2009)

this might sound stupid but i think its the grit..they pick up all kinds of stuff as they eat.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

A lot of wild bird seed mixes now have little bits of calcium/grit in them, but there is calcium in just about everything - just very small amounts in most of the things pigeons eat.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

wild pigeons will eat green plants(which has calcium) and pick up granite and fossel grit from the ground. wild birds may have better reserves or not need or eat as much as the domestic pigeons do.. but then again wild pigeons do not live as long for many reasons.


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

I see the local birds I feed actually clinging to the brick walls and pecking at the bricks, or at the filler. I always assumed they were getting some sort of grit or supplement from it.

Janet


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

All birds out there need calcium, including the feral pigeons, crows........ even to ostrich who lays the biggest egg among birds.

The requirement of supplementing the birds with vitamins/minerals/calcium etc is required when it is separated from its natural environment including food intake. Also if some breeds produced by human intervention is inherently fragile, they will require supplements too.


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## cotdt (Apr 26, 2010)

there's calcium in veggies and sesame seeds


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