Article 26808 of rec.gardens:
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From: ldolezel@epas.utoronto.ca (Lubomir Dolezel)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens,rec.birds
Subject: Re: Landscaping for Wildlife (Shrubs & Vines)
Date: 20 Feb 1994 12:50:01 GMT
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This is just a cautionary word about Mr. Heim's reference to Taxus
(Yew) where he notes incorrectly that birds eat Yew seeds. They in
fact eat the red fleshy berry and expel the seeds intact. All parts of
Taxus - leaves, bark and seeds - contain the very poisonous alkaloid
taxine. Since even 2 seeds (the small black 'kernel' that sits
visibly in a depression in the red berry) are potentially fatal to
humans if they are damaged or cracked in any way, I wouldn't like to
think of anyone deliberately collecting yew seeds and feeding them to
animals of any kind. (Of course, if the berries are left on the
tree/shrub, the birds will deal with them properly).

Nancy Traill (ntraill@vm1.yorku.ca)
York University, Toronto


