Do Hot Pepper Birdseed Really Keep Squirrels Away?
Imagine enjoying your morning coffee while watching lives of your Birdfy Feeder at tablets, but suddenly a pesky squirrel barges in, scattering seeds and scarying away your feathered buddies. For us bird lovers, this is a sad but true frustration. So it is time to learn about spicy bird seed—a game changer in the world of birdwatching. These special birdseeds have capsaicin added to them in powder or oil form. Based on research conducted by Cornell scientists in 2000, the capsaicin-coated seed would effectively keep Gray Squirrels away and still attract wild birds. But the test suggests that the spicy seeds do not work against astern Chipmunks, since their fur-lined cheeks may diminish the discomfortable effects of spicy seeds.
Spicy seeds improve the birdwatching experience for feeder owners in two main ways: they deter large mammals with rough behavior, making the feeder area less messy, and they attract more birds by reducing the presence of large animals like squirrels. In this article, we'll delve into the wonders of spicy bird seed, exploring how it works, its benefits, and how to make it a helper in your bird-feeding routine.
Can birds eat spicy seeds?
Some people love the exciting burning sensation that spicy foods add to dishes. However, this can come with risks like mouth discomfort, stomach aches, and diarrhea for mammals like us. But does this also happen to birds?
Can birds taste spicy things？
Some might simplify the reason for spicy seeds by saying that mammals can taste hot peppers while birds cannot. However, that's not entirely accurate. Birds can indeed taste pepper. The truth is more complex and intriguing. The spicy sensation comes from a substance called capsaicin, produced by Capsicum plants. Capsaicin is primarily found near the pepper seeds and activates taste sensors in both birds and mammals. However, it also triggers a type of pain receptor that mammals have, but birds lack. This is why birds can eat peppers without any adverse effects. In mammals, these pain receptors are distributed throughout the body, not just in the mouth, which is why it’s advisable to wear gloves when handling jalapeños.
Do birds like spicy bird seeds？
Yes, lots of birds do like spicy seeds. Birds don't have the pain sensors that make capsaicin, the spicy part of peppers. This means they can eat the seeds without feeling a burning sensation that keeps animals like squirrels and raccoons away. In wild, birds often look for pepper seeds because no other animals bother them, so there are plenty to eat. Also, the spicy seeds have just as many good nutrients for birds as the non-spicy ones, giving them important fats and proteins. If you want to get different types of birds to visit your feeder but keep animals away, spicy bird seeds are a great option.
Will spicy bird seeds hurt birds?
Bird food with capsaicin has been sold for over 15 years, and very few bird experts or enthusiasts have reported that using this food leads to fewer birds coming to feeders or causes health issues for the birds. So far, people’s stories suggest that birds don’t get hurt by foods with capsaicin, which is the spicy part of peppers. However, there’s no scientific proof that capsaicin is safe for all birds that come to feeders. Some argue that eating hot peppers might upset birds' stomachs as well, but that's still a mystery.
How to diy spicy bird seed?
You can buy birdseed with hot peppers or hot-pepper mixes at many garden stores. However, it's simple and cheaper to add cayenne pepper to your own birdseed mix. And they are effective in deterring squirrels as well!
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Pour the 1-pound bag of wild bird seed into a big bowl or a clean bucket. Bird seed mixes with lower prices might have a lot of millet and red and white milo grains, but they are a good starting point for making your own bird seed recipes. So you can choose them as the starting point.
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Take a cup of black-oil sunflower seeds and put them in the bowl with the bird seed mix. Selective birds tend to prefer and consume high-energy black-oil sunflower seeds as their first choice. These light seeds attract many kinds of songbirds and smaller birds, such as sparrows and chickadees.
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Stir in a cup of crushed corn to the blend. Cracked corn also helps bring game birds like pheasants and grouse to the your feeder.
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Put 3 tablespoons of cayenne powder in a container. Place it into the bowl or bucket containing the bird seed mixture. Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon until the cayenne pepper, seeds, and cracked corn are combined. Make sure the cayenne pepper is mixed well into the other ingredients.
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Put the hot-pepper bird seed mix into a big container with a lid. Keep it in a cool, dry spot. Before you use the hot-pepper seeds, shake the closed container to mix the cayenne pepper evenly.
Spicy Bird Seed Cake
First, pour one package of plain gelatin into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Let it rest for a minute to get thicker. Next, add 1/3 cup of hot water and stir for a few minutes until the gelatin fully melts. This mixture will be the glue that holds your seeds together!
Does it really work ?
Hot pepper birdseed can indeed keep squirrels away from your bird feeder. This is a special bird food that is mixed with something incredibly spicy, usually made of things like hot habanero chili pepper and cayenne pepper.
But still, how can this special bird food provide your bird feeder with a squirrel-proof function？ The special thing that causes the “HEAT” feeling in the mouth is a compound called capsaicin. Capsaicin's strong taste and irritating effects make it an unappealing food source for mammals, who are quickly discouraged from attempting to consume the bird seed.
Surprisingly, birds won’t be affected by the spicy taste , they don't have much of a sense of taste or smell, making them immune. As a result, this allows birds to feed undisturbed and prevents the depletion of seed supplies by unwanted visitors.
Can the effect of the product last long?
The answer is a little disappointing : while hot pepper birdseed is effective against most mammals, certain species may develop a tolerance to capsaicin over time, reducing its deterrent effect.
Generally speaking, hot pepper birdseed can only be used conditionally. Squirrel proof is still a great difficulty for bird feeders. Maybe solving this problem in a more physical way is a better idea.
Protect Ourselves when Using Spicy Seeds
Capsaicin can irritate the skin, eyes, and breathing in people. It's important to be careful when filling bird feeders with hot pepper birdseed. Make sure to wear gloves and keep it away from your eyes. It's not a good idea to use this product if there are kids around. Capsaicin is added as a powder or as an oil. They can encompass both the seeds and the containers that hold them.The powder might be more dangerous than oil for people when filling the feeders because the wind can easily blow it away from the seeds and onto the person.
However, as long as we learn to protect ourselves, spicy seeds will still be a great help that we can utilize. Thus, please wear gloves to keep your skin safe, even if you don’t think you will touch it. Spicy seed is more expensive because it is made in a special place where workers must wear protective clothes. After they try it, the mammals won't want to eat it again. After a while, you can start using untreated seeds to save money. If the animals don’t come around, you might not need to use treated seeds again until you notice them coming back.
I have tried dry capsaicin and oil modified to bird seed to deter sguirrels who are very vigilant. Any recipe ideas?
Thank you for the update on. Hot pepper bird sed.
Please try Coles Hot Squirrels Sauce, it really works, I apply it too all my bird seeds, mix together your birds seed and hot squirrels sauce in a bowl, I don’t put out lots of seeds only some down into the tray, squirrels don’t like the taste and smell, it keeps them away
I am so excited about my feeder, but in 2 weeks, we’ve had 2 birds and thousands of squirrels. Within minutes, they were eating the hot pepper seed with both hands, also undeterred by the massive amount of anti-squirrel spray. We’ve installed metal spiky baffles wrapped around the tree and plastic spiky strips. The squirrels have shredded some of the wood on the feeder itself. I would love any suggestions!
I make my own using vegetable oil and ground red pepper, and it works like a charm! The squirrels have totally abandoned their efforts to get to my feeders!