can wild birds eat cinnamon

I have spent the last several months looking into a holistic approach to my parrots diets. They all have great eating habits except one: Linus, my umbrella cockatoo. It makes me crazy and I worry and fret every day about whether he is getting the nutrition he needs. He is healthy and I guess that says a lot. Still, I am always looking for ways to make improvements in everybodys diet, but especially so with Mr. Picky. I decided that prying his beak apart and stuffing squash down his throat would probably result in trust issues.

So what do you do about the bird that doesnt eat all those healthy things you provide? You maximize the foods he does eat. Here is a short list of every day spices you can add to your birds food for a blast of new flavor and added health benefits:

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is high in fiber, iron, calcium and manganese. It can be used as a treatment for fungals, and other types of yeast and aspergillus. It gives relief to arthritis pain. Since it has anti-bacterial properties, it helps to lessen the growth of bacterias on fresh food. Cinnamon sticks are also a great toy! Cayenne Pepper: Cayenne pepper is loaded with Vitamins A and C, B-complex, potassium, iron and calcium. It increases fat metabolism and reduces fat deposits great for birds with, or with proneness to, fatty liver disease. It stabilizes bleeding, shock and has been known to stop heart attack. It returns blood pressure to normal and improves circulation.

Paprika: Paprika is ground from a dried sweet red pepper. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects (as does cayenne). It may also lower the risk of cancer. Paprika is high in vitamins A and C Iron and calcium. It has many of the same benefits as cayenne.

How much to use: Keep in mind that spices are very potent in flavor. Think about how you would use it to season your own food, and then take into consideration the lesser portions you give to your bird. A light sprinkling over the food will do the job. Many birds love the taste of cayenne pepper. Try sprinkling it over a veggie your parrot will not normally eat. Some people use cayenne in the drinking water with great results. Make sure, though, that your parrot is drinking enough water and that the cayenne is not keeping him away from it.

How to buy and store: I usually buy my spices from the health food store or at Whole Foods. This way I can use their bulk jars and buy just enough try it out. And its usually fresher. If you do buy jars of these spices, read the ingredients first. If you are buying paprika, it should list one ingredient: paprika. Never buy anything that has salt or other flavorings added for use with your parrots. Sometimes silicon oxide is used to make it sprinkle more easily. Instead, put rice in the jar. It will absorb moisture and help stop clumping.

Store your spices in a cool dark place. A cabinet away from the heat and moisture of the stove is fine. Dark glass jars work best.

Author Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.

Angel Wing in Birds

Angel wing is a condition that affects birds (mostly waterfowl). They become incapable of flying when they eat an excessive amount of carbohydrates along with insufficient vitamins and minerals, causing their wings to grow awkwardly.

According to the Chicago Academy of Sciences and other nature groups, this is caused largely by a birds consumption of human-fed bread. In fully grown birds, the damage is irreversible and could be fatal, as birds arent able to migrate or fly to food sources.

It also makes birds feel full and fills their stomachs, but it doesn’t give them the vitamins and minerals they require to function properly.

If bread is offered to birds, they will probably devour it quickly. If they’re used to people, they may even appear to beg for it.

In your neighborhood park, you’ve probably witnessed people giving bread chunks to the geese, ducks, or pigeons. Although these people have good intentions, giving these carbohydrates to birds may be more harmful than beneficial.

Because of this, it’s best to simply discard any extra food that has been covered in cinnamon. Even though it seems wasteful, it’s preferable to the birds’ health issues.

Can Wild Birds Eat Cinnamon Cereal?

Birds should not be given cinnamon cereal. If offered to them, they might eat it, but cinnamon cereal contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, which are bad for birds.

Birds will survive without additional foods that don’t meet their nutritional needs because they are accustomed to foraging for food on their own.

Can Birds Taste Cinnamon?

Whether or not birds can taste cinnamon is a matter of debate. Birds have very few taste buds compared to humans.

According to Anna Pidgeon, a wildlife and ecology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, chickens and pigeons have just 24 and 37 taste buds, respectively.

There are approximately 10,000 taste buds in humans, and similar numbers may exist in other mammals. Because of this, birds can consume spicy food without feeling the heat. It might prevent them from tasting cinnamon, but it’s difficult to tell for certain.

FAQ

Is cinnamon safe for birds to eat?

Ceylon (True) Cinnamon:This is the only safe type of cinnamon for birds and it can be offered in powder form or as a stick to chew on. Ceylon cinnamon is high in Vitamin K, Vitamin E and potassium. It is also believed to be antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and high in antioxidants.

What happens if you put cinnamon in your bird feeder?

Cayenne Pepper and Cinnamon sprinkled in the feeder. The pepper made sense but what is it about the cinnamon? A little more research found that squirrels, raccoons, opossum and deer do not like the smell of cinnamon and avoid it. Viola!

Can birds eat cinnamon raisin bread?

Please don’t give wild birds bread, crackers or other human snack foods. Bread has zero nutrition for wild birds. In fact, bread, crackers, chips and other human snacks are, in some ways, WORSE than feeding birds absolutely nothing.

Is cinnamon safe for squirrels?

If you’re wondering whether cinnamon is dangerous for the squirrels, don’t worry; it doesn’t harm them. They simply do not like the odor and the sensation it causes, so it’s a more humane option for tackling unwanted squirrels.