Can Birds Eat Grapes?
Human beings have a long history of dining on grapes, whether snacking on them when they are plump and juicy or using them to make wine. But our enjoyment of grapes doesn’t mean they are popular with all animals. If you have lots of grapes at home, you might be wondering whether you can feed grapes to the birds in your garden.
You may be particularly cautious about feeding grapes to birds due to all the media coverage in recent years saying that grapes are dangerous for dogs to eat. After a decades-long mystery, scientists finally discovered that it is the naturally occurring tartaric acid found in grapes that disagrees with canine digestive systems. Fortunately, tartaric acid isn’t a problem for birds at all.
Can Birds Eat Grapes Safely?
Grapes are entirely safe for birds to eat. Grapes are often sought out by birds in the wild. Vineyard owners often go to great lengths to keep birds away, but as a bird-lover, you can use grapes to tempt all kinds of bird species into your garden.
The small songbirds that give us such joy in the garden have evolved the capacity to taste sweetness—something that many larger birds lack—and will flock to fruit when given the chance.
Grapes provide a quick and convenient source of energy in the form of a carbohydrate called fructose. Simultaneously, they hold important nutrients such as potassium and Vitamin C.
Can Birds Eat Seeded and Seedless Grapes?
Interestingly, seedless grapes are a human invention and one that was stumbled upon by chance.
Grape farmers noticed that some of their plants featured a natural genetic mutation that made them seedless. These special varieties can be grown from grafted cuttings because they don’t have a seed to plant. And because seedless grapes are natural, they are ideal for birds to eat.
But what about grapes with seeds? You might be aware that some fruit seeds and stones contain small amounts of arsenic making them dangerous for birds, but this isn’t the case with grape seeds.
Both seeded and seedless grape varieties are absolutely fine to use for your bird table.
What Kinds of Grapes Do Birds Prefer?
Do you fall into the green grape, red grape, or black grape camp? Most people have a favourite when it comes to grape varieties. What you might be surprised to know is that, while birds can enjoy all kinds of grapes, they tend to show a strong preference too!
Birds can enjoy green grapes from time to time, but most will choose a darker-coloured grape whenever they are available. This instinctive selection is because red and black grapes contain a higher volume of healthy antioxidants.
These molecules neutralise harmful free radicals within the bodies of birds and humans alike, keeping cells and tissue healthy.
Of course, green grapes are healthy too, so don’t ditch them if that is all you have available. It’s just that darker-coloured grapes are a bit healthier, and will likely create more of a stir among the birds in your garden!
Types of Birds That Eat Grapes
A wide variety of birds will come calling if you put grapes out for them. These are just a few that you might spot passing by:
- Robin
- Jay
- Waxwing
- Blue tit
- Wren
- Sparrow
- Song thrush
- Woodpecker
How to Prepare Grapes For Birds
Given that grapes already come in a small ready-made portion, many larger birds will be happy to find whole grapes on the bird table. However, you can make things easier for smaller birds by cutting the grapes in half. There is no need to skin grapes before feeding them to birds. Grape skins are highly nutritious, so you shouldn’t take the best part away!
If you have raisins or sultanas in the cupboard, you may wonder if you can feed these to the birds too. The answer is that dried grapes are also a welcome snack for birds. Consider soaking them first, however, to make mealtime easier for your feathered friends —particularly during the warmer months when hydration is so important.
Finally, ensure that any grapes that you give to the birds in your garden are part of a larger, varied offering. For birds to get all of the nutrients needed to grow, they require a mixed diet of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and nutrients.