‘Don’t kill with kindness’ wild bird charity warns

RSPB Scotland said it was worried people would leave out Christmas dinner leftovers as a treat, not knowing that the cooked fat is extremely dangerous for birds.

Other fats like lard and suet are good for birds, but the soft texture of cooked turkey fat can damage the waterproofing and insulation on birds’ feathers, according to the charity.

Meat juices and fats left in roasting tins can also go off quickly, leading to food poisoning, and RSPB Scotland said many birds were prone to such infections at this time of year due to the cold weather.

High levels of salt can also be dangerous for birds.

Louise Smith, a spokeswoman for RSPB Scotland, said: “Please, please don’t use fat from roasting tins to feed garden birds.”