I was speaking to a friend recently who was telling me that his birds used to ov eating peanuts, but recently they haven't been eating them at all. Is this a case of birds getting choosy or fussy with their food? Are they a bird treat that have just been overused?

I told him that I didn't think that birds would get fussy over which foods they eat as long as they're foods but he wasn't so sure.

Strange that you raise this as I was thinking the very same thing this morning. Over the past few weeks I've continually had to fill the seed feeders and replace the bird cakes, but the nut feeder has hardly been touched. As far as I can tell there are just as many birds in the garden as usual. Even the Spotted Woodpeckers seem to have switched to the bird cake.

This post was last modified: 23-02-2008 11:46 AM by TimberWolf.

My peanuts dont ever get touched in favour of Bill Oddies food and sunflower seeds and fat balls!

That's very strange! I haven't used peanuts in a while because they weren't getting eaten. Maybe it is a winter thing and they need different food?

It could be due to our mild winters. Birds are getting plenty of natural foods so dont need to visit the feeders as much?

It could be that, and maybe the peanuts are their least favourite food item so they are the first to be left?

Peanuts are very popular here where I am, but I have noticed that my feeders have not needed topping up much this winter. Apparently the weather has been mild enough that the birds have not stopped by.

I know I used to have to replenish the feeders almost every day in the past. On the other hand, I have some birds which in the past did not stick around past this time of year. I'm thinking that perhaps they might stay and even breed this year.

Kingfisher

Thanks for all the replies. It seems that birds do get picky about which food they eat, which I find really interesting. As far as I know, they don't eat for pleasure, so why would it matter to them which food they are eating as long as they are getting nutrition?

Peanuts still popular on the menu here in Wales..with birds and squirrels!