You may not be aware that besides adding flavor to food, chili powder can also help birds find food in the garden, especially in June, a crucial time for bird breeding.
During spring, birds build nests and care for their young, requiring food, but with the decreasing sources of food like insects, they face the threat of starvation. Therefore, it is suggested that people with gardens set up bird feeders to provide food for the birds, as they are also a part of the ecosystem.
The British bird feed company Peckish points out that ensuring food supply for birds in June is crucial as it is a “crazy” period for birds to forage for themselves and their young. While birds do not feed their young with feeders, they may consume the food in the feeders during this busy period.
The company advises not to place the feeders under garden facilities where birds might perch. It is recommended to have multiple feeders to avoid multiple birds crowding around one feeder to forage.
Furthermore, birds like robins require a significant amount of insects to feed their young. Keeping your lawn and hedges untrimmed during this period will provide habitats for these insects, thereby serving as a source of food for these birds.
The British tabloid “Daily Express” reported that when leaving food outside for birds, a major problem could arise as other animals like grey squirrels might steal it. This is where chili powder comes in handy.
If you have bird feeding platforms or other areas to place food, you can mix chopped peanuts, seeds, mealworms, and fruit slices (such as apple slices) with chili powder for the birds to consume.
Bruised apples or pears are particularly attractive to birds. You can also feed them with leftovers from your kitchen, like pastries, rice, and breadcrumbs, but the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) advises not to overdo it. Also, remember to sprinkle some chili powder.
Chili powder helps birds find food because birds are not affected by the spiciness of chili, while other animals like squirrels and foxes detest chili. This way, all the food will be left for the birds and not be stolen.
RSPB states, “You can sprinkle strong chili powder or chili sauce (like Tabasco sauce) on bird feed. Birds are okay with chili, but most squirrels cannot tolerate the burning sensation of chili, so they won’t touch the bird feed.”
The editor of the “Daily Express,” Alex Evans, encourages people to help birds in their gardens as much as possible, contributing a little to the ecosystem. This can make the world a better place.
To do so, he placed seeds and mealworms that robins, blue tits, and finches have been eating for the past few weeks on a table in his garden and sprinkled chili powder on them. He wanted to test if this method was effective.
The following morning when he went to check, he was surprised to find all the mealworms were gone, and there was no chili powder left. There was not even a single squirrel in sight.
What’s even better is that he did not spot any sick robins on the nearby grass, indicating that chili powder seems to be safe for birds and does not cause any mishaps.
He concluded that chili powder indeed works, so do not hesitate to add some spice to your garden to keep your birds happy.
Aside from stealing bird food, naturally curious squirrels in the garden may also cause some damage, such as chewing on items. British garden expert Laura Bamborough shared methods to deter squirrels without harming them, such as setting up obstacles, using items squirrels dislike, and reducing squirrel food sources. You may want to give it a try. (For more details, click here.)