Peanuts are a high-energy food source, offering birds essential protein and fat content. Peanuts can be provided in special feeders or scattered over the ground where small birds such as chickadees and titmice can find them easily; more persistent birds will cache peanuts buried somewhere in the yard for later consumption.
Contents
Peanuts are a high-energy food
Peanuts are rich in both proteins and fat, providing birds with energy-packed snacks they crave. Plus, their vitamins and minerals make them one of the most common items offered at bird feeders – just be mindful when giving out too many at one time to avoid creating an imbalance in their diets!
Peanuts can be given to birds in several forms. From whole peanuts in their shell, unshelled and unsalted varieties to crushed and grated peanuts or peanut butter – just make sure that the product you use does not contain salt, sugar or additives that could potentially harm them.
If you choose to provide whole peanuts as bird food, a mesh feeder should be used so as to prevent chicks from choking on them. In addition, offering hulled or heart peanuts would make for easier consumption by smaller birds.
Peanuts are a versatile food
Birds love peanuts, and you can offer them in several ways to them. Whole, in-shell nuts work best for larger species like jays and crows while smaller birds such as chickadees and titmice prefer peanut hearts or chips broken down into pieces their bills can more easily swallow. Peanuts can be provided to birds using specialty feeders or simply sprinkled onto the ground or scattered into tray feeders. Some birds store peanuts away for times when food may become scarce – caching peanuts is something many birds do to save up when resources may become limited. Be sure to only provide unsalted, unseasoned peanuts without roasting or coating with sugar as this could be unhealthy or toxic for birds. Keep in mind that squirrels, chipmunks and raccoons will enjoy eating your peanuts as well, so use baffles or barriers in the feeders to stop them raiding it!
Organic shelled peanuts provide a delicious high-energy treat. No need for roasting or salting as these peanuts are naturally treated with oils to maintain freshness and attract woodpeckers, nuthatches and jays!
Peanuts are a durable food
Peanuts are a long-lasting, low-cost source of energy for wild birds that provide them with energy they need for migration, nesting, mating, raising young and weathering cold weather. Peanuts contain plenty of protein and fat making them an excellent energy source. You can provide whole peanuts (in-shell or kibbled), either alone or mixed into other foods – for instance adding them to suet fat cakes or placing them in squirrel-proof bird feeders are both ways of providing peanuts to these wild birds
Small birds like titmice and chickadees prefer kibbled peanuts as they’re easier to digest for their small bills. Be wary when offering any potentially toxic peanut products as these could lead to respiratory diseases in birds.
It is also crucial that when offering peanuts, they be placed in a squirrel-proof feeder so as to deter rodents and other predatory creatures from devouring your supplies. You could mix peanut butter with flour, cornmeal or oatmeal so birds can more readily consume the treat.
Peanuts are a good food for a variety of birds
Peanuts are an energetic food source that draw in many species of birds, such as woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches, chickadees, jays and squirrels. A good source of fat and protein, they can be offered through tray or dish feeders, dedicated peanut-style feeders or mixed in with other seeds in suet blocks or log feeders.
If you’re offering peanuts to birds, make sure not to give out too many at one time. Accumulations of wet whole or cracked peanuts may develop aflatoxin fungus which is harmful both to birds and humans alike. Furthermore, avoid offering seasoned, smoked, or flavored varieties as these contain salt which can harm them.
Peanut butter is another popular bird feed option, enjoyed by woodpeckers and other birds with strong beaks. Safflower seed, on the other hand, is enjoyed by blackbirds, blue-tits, house sparrows, and long-tailed tits as it has a hard hull; often added to cheaper seed mixtures to bulk them out.
