Cranberry (the plant) is a shrub that is native to the Northern Hemisphere, which produces a berry that turns red when it is fully ripe. Interestingly, the word “cranberry” is derived from “craneberry,” as it was written in colonial times. Early Europeans in America thought the blossom of the cranberry plant resembled a crane. Fun fact: the cranberry is a cousin of the blueberry. The George Mateljan Foundation for the World’s Healthiest Foods rates cranberries as an excellent source of Vitamin C, and gives them a “good” rating for amount of Vitamin K and manganese. Dick Schroeder, BIRD TALK’s Magazine’s “Aviculture” columnist, feeds cranberries to the softbills he raises. However, he said, “I don’t have a lot of birds that like cranberries, at least not fresh ones; too tart, I guess.” It will be your bird’s preference whether or not it wants to eat this berry, but you can offer it fresh or dried.
“Cranberries are a great nutritional treat,” said Jill Patt, DVM, of Alta Mesa Animal Hospital in Arizona. “They are a good source of antioxidants that helps a bird’s immune system. African greys, and other birds, can get coronary artery disease and an antioxidant on board can help with that.” Are cranberries better than other berries? “I wouldn’t recommend it over any other berry,” said Patt, “Instead, I would recommend offering mixed berries. Birds enjoy colors, so a mixture is not only healthy but is beneficial mentally.”
Fresh cranberries are available October through December. Maybe that’s why you only have cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving! If your bird is craving them in the off months, you can try drying them. As with any dried fruit, buy only sulfite-free dried fruits. Birds can have a negative reaction to fruits preserved with sulfites. There are a number of companies that have sulfite-free dried cranberries. Just Tomatoes has naturally-dried cranberries, called Just Cranberries, available. Or you can dry your own! You might find that they are so tasty, you’ll be eating them instead!
Dried cranberries are also a key ingredient in certain bird seed mixes, too. However, Patt recommends feeding fresh over dried, saying “[dried fruits] lose a lot of vitamins in storage.”
If you do buy dried fruits, make note of the expiration date so you are always feeding your bird the fresh dried fruit.
What about cranberry juice? Patt doesn’t recommend offering cranberry juice to birds, as it is very concentrated. “It creates an imbalance in the diet,” she said, if birds are offered cranberry juice over a regular cranberry.
Many birds will readily eat fruit. To avoid mold and bacteria, it is recommended to use dried fruit in feeders.
Cardinals, Finches, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Jays, Titmice, Grosbeaks, and Woodpeckers are associated with cranberries; similarly, woodpeckers are associated with cherries; woodpeckers are associated with raisins; woodpeckers are associated with apples; woodpeckers, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, jays, titimice, and grosbeaks are associated with juniper berries; woodpeckers, chickadees, Finches, Nuthatches, Jays, Titmice, Grosbeaks, and Songbirds are associated with Woodpeckers, Finches, Jays, and Buntings; and woodpeckers are associated with papayas
Buying wild bird foods with actual fruit in them is the simplest way to provide fruit. Make sure to read the label. Fruit flavorings are often used and provide no real fruit.
Additionally, dried cranberries are a main component of some bird seed mixtures. Patt advises against feeding dried fruits, stating that “[dried fruits] lose a lot of vitamins in storage.” ”.
Fresh cranberries are available October through December. In case your bird has a craving for them during the off-season, you can try drying them out. Perhaps that’s why you only have cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. As with any dried fruit, buy only sulfite-free dried fruits. Fruits that have been preserved with sulfites may react negatively in birds. Dried cranberries without sulfite are sold by several companies. Just Tomatoes has naturally-dried cranberries, called Just Cranberries, available. Alternatively, you could try drying them yourself; you might end up eating them instead because they’re so delicious!
If you do purchase dried fruit, be sure to check the expiration date so your bird is always fed fresh fruit that has been dried.
Regarding cranberry juice, Patt advises against giving birds any because of how concentrated it is. If birds are fed cranberry juice instead of regular cranberries, “it creates an imbalance in the diet,” the expert claimed.
The cranberry plant, a shrub native to the Northern Hemisphere, yields berries that, when fully ripe, turn red. Remarkably, the word “cranberry” comes from the word “craneberry,” as it was written during the colonial era. The cranberry plant’s blossom was thought to resemble a crane by early European settlers in America. Fun fact: the cranberry is a cousin of the blueberry. Cranberries are rated as an excellent source of vitamin C by the George Mateljan Foundation for the World’s Healthiest Foods, and they receive a “good” rating for manganese and vitamin K content. The “Aviculture” columnist for BIRD TALK Magazine, Dick Schroeder, gives cranberries to the softbills he raises. But he added, “I don’t have many birds that like cranberries, at least not fresh ones—I guess they’re too tart.” Your bird will decide whether or not to eat this berry, but you can provide it either fresh or dried.
FAQ
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