PBALLAY/ISTOCKQ Is the spicy stuff they
put in birdseed to ward
off squirrels safe for our
feathered friends?
Betty Jo Halls
CLEARWATER, MINNESOTA
Kenn and Kimberly: It’s good to
question these things, but there’s
strong evidence the hot element
in some birdseeds, capsaicin, is
harmless to birds. In the American
tropics, many birds even eat the red
fruits of native wild peppers without
being affected by the capsaicin they
contain. In general, birds have far
fewer taste buds than mammals,
and the burning sensation doesn’t
bother them. Avian digestive
systems, including throats and
stomachs, are very tough, which
allows them to eat all kinds of things
that would seem daunting to us.