Wrong kind of bread gives wardens the bird: Park's visitors to have loaves confiscated and replaced with healthier snacks Officials claim white bread causes arthritis, birth defects and starvation RSPB says all bread is fine, as long as birds have a balanced diet Birdseed offer at Edinburgh's Holyrood Park aims to protect Queen's swans By Claire Mckim It is a practice that has endured for generations - feeding the birds at the local park with the scraps from a loaf. But now wardens at Edinburgh's Holyrood Park have been ordered to stop bird-lovers throwing the "wrong" kind of bread. They will swap visitors" white bread for a replacement snack of "healthier" birdseed for them to distribute. The policy is said to be aimed at protecting birdlife at St Margaret's Loch in the royal park - including the Queen's swans. Wardens are confiscating white bread from bird-lovers in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh (pictured) Officials in charge of Holyrood Park, claim bread can lead to starvation in birds Officials claim white bread can give birds arthritis and cause birth defects or even starvation and they have put up signs warning against the practice. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has questioned the crackdown, saying all bread is fine, as long as birds have a balanced diet. However, Holyrood Park ranger Matt McCade said: "White bread doesn't have any nutritional value. It can cause arthritis and birth defects. It will also fill ducks and swans up, stopping them from feeling hungry, which can sadly lead to them dying of starvation. He added: "Rangers will have a chat and encourage them to use birdseed or wholemeal bread. I carry a bag of seeds with me and swap it for the white bread. It helps to encourage young families to feed the ducks and swans properly. Park wardens have been ordered to confiscate white bread from bird-lovers to protect the Queen's swans The Crown retains the right to ownership of all unmarked mute swans in open water, but the Queen only exercises this on parts of the Thames and its surrounding tributaries. The Keeper of the Queen's Swans office dates from the 13th century. It was abolished in 1993, when it was replaced by two new offices, the Warden of the Swans and the Marker of the Swans. Swan Upping plays an important role in the conservation of the mute swan and involves the Queen's Swan Warden collecting data, assessing the health of young cygnets and examining them for any injuries. Cygnets are extremely vulnerable at this early stage in their development and Swan Upping affords an opportunity to help both adults and cygnets that might otherwise go untreated. Historic Scotland, the quango charged with running and maintaining many of Scotland's most famous buildings, took over the park in 1999. Its official guidance states that birds such as Mallard ducks, kestrels and the Queen-owned mute swans could be harmed by non- wholemeal bread. Park users are also discouraged from giving birds treats such as "crisps, chips, rice and curry." But an RSPB Scotland spokesman said: "As far as the RSPB is concerned, all types of bread are acceptable as part of a bird's balanced diet." Visitors branded the policy "ridiculous." Jayme Jamieson, 20, said: "It's one of the most stupid things I've ever heard. 'I can see the point about not feeding the ducks chips and rice and things but I can't see the problem with white bread. A spokesman for Historic Scotland said: "Brown bread is encouraged because of its nutritious value. White bread can cause joint problems in birds.