Do birds really explode if they eat raw rice?
The myth If birds eat uncooked rice, the grains will swell inside them until their bellies burst and they die. The “truth” There are, apparently, weddings all over the USA (and, increasingly, elsewhere) where kind-hearted guests throw bird seed at the newlyweds instead of the traditional raw rice. Their precautions are as unnecessary as they are touching; not only will rice do no harm to any bird, it forms part of the natural diet of some species. Somehow, the rice myth has become entangled with the modern trend to ban confetti from venues; though this is done to limit litter, many people believe it’s because confetti is another potential chough-choker. However, says the RSPB, don’t give birds very salty food, such as salted peanuts or crisps-that might well kill them.
