FINCHforum

I've been trying to locate some edible weeds around here for the birds, but not much luck. Us Floridians don't have any chickweed, or much dandelion.

Any ideas what these are? I was hoping they're both some kind of thistle but....

The top one looks like the kind of dandelion we get here in arizona.

The top one is deffinatly dandelion

I would guess chicory and then sow thistle.

Chicory plant before growing:
www.foragingtexas.com/2008/08/chicory.html

Yes we have those...we call them thistle dandelion or needles...if you step on them in the summer ouch

I have recently discovered that my finches go crazy for Italian Parsley ($.48 bunch) and cilantro ($.68 bunch). I use the stams in egg good and the tops for a treat which lasts only a minute. Seems much easier that processing stickery weeds.

carlamay wrote: I have recently discovered that my finches go crazy for Italian Parsley ($.48 bunch) and cilantro ($.68 bunch). I use the stams in egg good and the tops for a treat which lasts only a minute. Seems much easier that processing stickery weeds.

Will that cover their need for greens?

I get a few dandelions in my lawn every now and then, mainly in the spring and summer. I always give them to my birds, as I never use pesticides in my yard. In pots I grow kale, collard greens, oregano and stevia - all of which my canaries and javas eagerly gobble down. Another weed I had to look up to identify is called asiatic hawksbeard and is the most prevalent weed in my yard. It is supposed to be highly edible for humans but I haven't found any info on it's edibility for birds. This is what it looks like as I've posted this before. Bob

Jon

The first plant does not appear like dandelion to me. You should always practice caution when feeding weeds, especially when you are not 100% sure of the plant's ID. Your plant appears to have prickly-thorny leaves. Can you confirm this? Dandelions most certainly do not have thorny leaves. In my opinion, it looks like Sonchus asper, aka Spiny Sowthistle.

The second plant looks like Sonchus oleraceae, aka Common Sowthistle.

For those who guessed dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, note that dandelion is a completely different genus.

Always be cautious when feeding plants you don't know and make sure you are collecting from areas where there are no pesticides/chemicals used, as 30 Seconds to Bob has already mentioned. Good luck!

Jon Can't imagine that it wouldn't. I put frozen brocolli and peas in their eggfood as well.

I also discovered that the "dandelion" sold in most stores is actually chickory (cichorium intybus) not true dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).