pine cones for yna & 'too ?

[henry0reilly]

I found a bunch of these on the sidewalk in a town in Indiana. There's no reason to think they've had chemicals sprayed directly on them but I suppose it's possible they caught some of the stuff sprayed on streets to melt snow. The more I type this question the more I'm convinced maybe I should just toss them out for the wild squirrels. But I was hoping they would be something new and different for the birds to tear up.

 

[SailBoat]

I have avoided pine cones historical because of the pine sap. Whether good or not, my Amazon with sap on his bill would find the most expense thing in the house to clean his beak on! And, in front of the Mrs...

In my mind, it falls under dumb ideas.
Also, just not into stuff on the ground.

 

[noodles123]

No- trees near streets etc also absorb salt/run-off/ grass fertilizers etc and parasites/bacteria/viruses could easily be found in a fallen pine-cone. A domestic bird doesn't have the immunity of a bird that survived youth in the wild, and lots of wild birds die over parasites/bacteria etc (you just don't see them). Decomposition is fast acting too--- so once it falls, things start to take up residence, even if you can't see them.
Even wood without pesticides/insecticides/run-off should be baked to ensure that nothing remains...You also don't know what variety of pine that is.