Experts Are Urging Gardeners to Add These Two Fruits to Their Bird Feeders This Summer

Robins, toucans, woodpeckers, catbirds, mockingbirds, blue jays, orioles – whatever the breed, nearly every bird seems to be attracted to fruits. In 2018, the registers of the Gilbert Police Department in Minnesota got flooded with complaints against local birds who seemed to have gone tipsy. The birds, especially those who didn’t migrate to the South, were acting uncontrollably and boisterously, pushing dogs and cats, jumping in and out of traffic, flying into windows, crashing into cars, and acting confused as if “under an influence.” Not that a Hitchcockian curse had cast a spell on them, but rather, it was their obsession with sweet fruits that got them intoxicated like crazy.

The birds, including robins and waxwings, gorged and gorged on fermented berries and juicy crabapples from the trees and got drunk. Residents walking down the streets would find their boozy bodies dozing on the sidewalks and had to give them a bath to shake off the hangover. At the same time, The Guardian reported a story about a green and bronze wood pigeon called “kererū” in New Zealand. Kererū had the reputation of being the drunkest bird in the town. The tipper ate too many berries and started acting wildly to the point that it had to be taken to a wildlife center to sober up. 

Birds have a penchant for fruits, fermented or not. These feathery creatures love to nip and squeeze into the ripe, fruity flesh to sip in the ambrosial sweetness. But the question arises among birders whether these sugar-rich fruits are indeed good for birds’ health. The answer is yes. According to RSPB, fruits, especially bruised apples and pears, make great options for bird feeders.

“Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and blackbirds,” the organization said, per Country Living magazine. They explained that an ideal bird food platter is a good mix of seed, peanuts, dried fruits, suet, and mealworms. From time to time, household scraps like pastry, cooked rice, and breadcrumbs can also be added for the birds’ snack time.

In another post, the bird welfare organization shared the different kinds of dry fruits that different birds love to eat. “Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins love to eat dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas and currants. Just don't put out dried fruit if you have a dog, as vine fruits can be deadly toxic to them,” they wrote. For these birdie buddies, fruits aren’t just tasty items but also nutritious, as ZuPreem, a bird food retailer, explains. “Wild birds are more active than pet birds and require more calories to meet the demands of their daily routine,” the company writes on the website.

According to the experts, some of the best fruits to add to the bird feeder include apples, cherries, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, watermelons, mangoes, guavas, papayas, kiwis, and pineapples. They warn people to avoid canned fruits while feeding the birds because they can include artificial sugars that may harm the birds’ health. Another tip is to place the fruit by cutting it into tiny pieces. A full-sized fruit can choke the birds by getting stuck in their bills or throat when they eat them. Lastly, always consult a doctor whether a fruit is good for a specific bird or not, unless the bird is drunk on booze. In that case, the doctor won’t be able to help!