Here’s Why You Should Mix Your Bird Feed With Chili Powder- Birding Experts Weigh In

Like humans who love to sprinkle chili flakes on their pizza toppings, birds these days are falling in love with chili powder and spicy peppers. Strangely enough, a bird itself doesn’t have any taste receptors to sense the taste of spice. The fiery kick of chili is actually to drive away predators who may attack the bird. A bird fancier, who goes as u/cutekittensforus on Reddit wrote a post asking people whether putting chili powder in a bird feeder is a good idea or if could it end up hurting the feathered creatures. Birding experts say that it won’t. A little sprinkling of chili pepper is, in fact, good for protecting birds.

“Chili powder contains capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their heat. Many animals, including squirrels and foxes, have sensitive taste receptors and find the spiciness unpleasant,” Michelle Rosser, co-founder and Managing Director at Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm, told Ideal Home. “When they ingest or come into contact with chili powder, it can deter them from approaching particular areas such as bird feeders.” She added that since birds don’t have taste receptors to perceive the heat of capsaicin, they can easily taste seeds mixed with chili powder. However, the powder should be added in moderate quantities to avoid any potential irritation.

The chili powder trick works especially when predators like foxes or squirrels march into the yard and deplete the food intended for birds, while also threatening birds’ safety. “When pests like squirrels and foxes eat bird food, they can quickly deplete resources meant for birds, potentially leading to malnourishment or competition for food,” explained Michelle. According to the Express, RSPB also suggests using chili powder. "Strong chili powder or pepper sauce (like Tabasco) can be shaken onto bird food. Birds aren't bothered by the chili, but most squirrels can't put up with the burning sensation and will leave the food alone,” they detail.

Meanwhile, in response to the Redditor’s question, u/MrSticky_ commented, “My local Wild Birds Unlimted (bird feeding specialist store) sells a habanero pepper oil that's marketed specifically to be mixed with bird seed as a squirrel deterrent. I've been told that birds don't notice spicy.” u/sebirds wrote they use “cayenne pepper” to shoo away squirrels. Apart from cayenne peppers, Bird Tricks Store also suggests cinnamon and paprika as good spices for bird feeders. But u/Schizm23 warns against using black peppercorns as this spice has a different chemical that can potentially harm the birds.

In addition to chili powder, RSPB recommends foods like bruised apples, peanuts, and pears for bird feeders. The same goes for kitchen leftovers like cooked rice, breadcrumbs, and pastry, although these should be fed in moderate quantities. The ideal food is a mix of peanuts, seeds, and some live food such as mealworms or waxworms. While it's inevitable to have rodents or animals like foxes or cats invade our backyards, we cannot let them steal the source of nutrition that poor birds need. The goal is to repel the predators with chili and boost the birds’ inner strength with these nutritious foods.