RSPB Cymru is urging people to put the leftover contents of their Christmas dinner roasting tins in the food waste bin and not in the garden this Christmas as the meat fat is extremely dangerous for birds.

People should avoid leaving cooked turkey fat out on bird tables because, unlike fats such as lard and suet, cooked turkey fat can have deadly consequences for our garden visitors.

The fat remains soft even when cooled and it could easily smear onto birds’ feathers and ruin their water-proofing and insulating qualities. Birds must keep their feathers clean and dry if they are to survive the cold winter weather, but a layer of grease would make it virtually impossible for them to do so.

When mixed with other meat juices, the fat in roasting tins can quickly go rancid if it’s left in a warm kitchen before being put outside. This forms an ideal breeding ground for salmonella and other food poisoning bacteria, and just like people, this could prove fatal to birds at this time of the year as their defences are low and their energy levels depleted with the cold.

Often people will add salt to meat before cooking, however high levels of salt are poisonous to garden birds, therefore RSPB Cymru urges people not to leave out cooked fats from any meat on the bird table this Christmas.

The good news is that there are alternatives for anyone looking to enjoy birds in their garden over the festive season. Instead of putting fat from the roasting tin on the menu for your garden birds this Christmas, RSPB Cymru is encouraging people to put on a festive feast made up of other tasty treats. Additional feeding is crucial this time of year and there are many great options. Bird seed table mix and suet balls are great for fattening birds up for the winter months and providing them with the nutrients they need. Some Christmas day leftovers which are suitable for our garden guests include cake crumbs, mince pie pastry crumbs and biscuit crumbs.

Bethan Lloyd RSPB Cymru Communications Manager said: “It’s extremely important that people don’t put the fat from their roasting tins outside.

“Many people wrongly believe that leaving cooked turkey fat outside is beneficial for birds, but in fact it can have disastrous effects for our feathered friends. Only pure fats such as lard and suet should be used to make homemade fat balls which will give birds’ the energy and nutrients to survive the cold winter months.

“Putting out some of the recommended festive treats will encourage birds such as blackbirds, robins and wrens into the garden just in time for the Big Garden Birdwatch in January.”

To dispose of meat fat, RSPB Cymru strongly recommends leaving it to cool and putting it in the food waste bin- not pouring it down the sink. Water companies are also urging people to dispose of meat fat this way.

For more tips about how you can give nature a home in your garden visit – rspb.org.uk/homes