"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven."
Emily Dickinson

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Throwing rice at weddings -- Bad for birds?

     Honestly, I've never seen a deadly case of Uncle Ben's. Yet some still believe the myth that if birds eat the rice thrown at weddings, their stomachs will explode. I'm not sure why people perpetuate this belief since many birds, including waterfowl and Bobolinks, naturally feed on rice. It’s an easily digestible food source.  
     Companies have even capitalized on this belief by packaging birdseed in tidy little handfuls so guests can still shower the happy couple without fear.  Anyway, Cornell's ornithologists say that wedding rice isn't going to do much to the wildlife except attract rodents. 
     So throw rice if you must. But you might want to check with your wedding venue first. Many places have banned the practice because of the liability associated with people slipping on the rice or seed.
    Tweet this to your friends.
    Happy birding! 
    JJ 

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