Experts Say You Should Add Grated Cheese to Bird Feeders — But Watch Out For This One Thing
In the fall of 2024, author Samantha Smith and her partner ordered a pizza to enjoy when they got home. When they arrived, the pizza box was at their doorstep. The box, however, was wide open with only a few morsels of pizza scattered on its flap. Puzzled, they rolled their eyes for any clue the pizza thief might have left. Little did they know that the culprit was a cheeky cockatoo couple who had stolen their pizza for a romantic date night.
Caught on the camera, the white-bodied cockatoo couple perched on their balcony railing, nibbling cheese-dipped pizza crusts and enjoying the tropical view of Queensland, Australia, immersed in romance. Commenting on the repost of this clip by YouTuber Brennan Rogers (@brennan.rogers), people pointed out how parrots, like these yellow-crested cockatoos, love cheesy pizzas. But can high-fat cheese be regarded as a good food for the birds? The dilemma has riddled the minds of bird lovers.
“Is it safe to feed birds grated mild [or] medium cheddar?” a woman named Jenny Corby asked her fellow birders in a post on RSPB Birders, a Facebook group managed by bird fans in the UK. In response, many birders agreed that cheese can be put in the bird feeders. According to the comments, while many birds like wrens, robins, and blackbirds love cheese, robins particularly love “grated cheese,” Jacquie Birbeck said. Another tip came from Janet Selbie, who suggested that while a little bit of cheese is okay, the birds shouldn’t be fed too much of it because of its salt content.
Jessie Longley defied the cheese claim altogether and said, “Birds are lactose intolerant and cannot digest the milk proteins found in cheese.” As it turns out, the explanation holds some seeds in science. Bird Tipper explains that since cheese is high in salt, too much of it can be harmful to the birds’ health. “While sodium is essential to the diet of birds, too much salt can cause a list of problems ranging from kidney failure to tremors to death,” the website says. They recommend birders avoid cheeses like cottage cheese and ricotta, which are extremely high in salt content, as well as soft cheeses like cream cheese or brie, which may get stuck in the beaks or throats of the birds.
Velvetta and similar processed cheeses like sliced American chees,e are also harmful for the birds due to their high salt content and artificial preservatives. Instead, the best cheeses for feeding birds are cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, or string cheese. When served properly, grated or shredded in bite-sized pieces, the cheese can serve as a warming food for birds’ bodies, especially during the months of winter. While the fat content of the cheese provides birds with energy, proteins support them in building strong muscles and feathers.
According to Northwest Parrot Rescue, cheese can also be served with a lush sprinkle of vegetables and herbs like garlic or onion powder, or served in macaroni or pizza. Too much cheese, however, can cause constipation in the birds and hence, should be avoided. If cheese doesn’t sound like the best option for feeding your birds, the bird welfare charity RSPCA recommends a list of alternative foods, including unsalted peanuts, insects like mealworms or waxworms, nuts, raisins, boiled potatoes, cooked pasta, oats, sunflower seeds, and fresh fruits.
A birder from Florida shared on her blog that she also attempted feeding birds like ring-billed gulls, ducks, and grackles with snacks like cheese puffs, broken chips, crackers, popcorn, old bread, and bakery nibbles dusted with cheddar-flavored powder. The feathery creatures seemed to love these munchies. So, cheese, it seems, is just as good for birds as it is for humans. The dilemma is solved.