Peanuts Out of Shell - Wild Bird Food

Because peanuts are high in fat, they are an excellent source of energy and calories, especially during cold winters, and they're ideal for birds to tuck away and store for another day. No matter what types of peanuts or peanut products you feed your backyard birds, you’re offering them a very nutritional treat.

Birds That Eat Peanuts

While the very smallest birds, such as hummingbirds and small finches, will not eat peanuts, many different species will give these nutritious nuts a try. The most common birds that enjoy peanuts include:

Chickadees
Crows
Dark-eyed juncos
Doves
Grackles
Jays
Northern cardinals
Nuthatches
Pyrrhuloxia
Ravens
Woodpeckers
Titmice
Tits
Towhees
Wrens

Which birds will like your peanut offerings will depend on what types of peanuts you have in your feeders and what birds are regularly visiting your feeders.

How to Feed Peanuts to Backyard Birds
There are several ways peanuts can be offered to backyard birds. Whole peanuts, either in the shell or just the hearts of the nuts, are popular with larger birds such as jays, ravens, crows, woodpeckers, and grackles. Smaller birds may also take the nut meats and pound or break them into smaller, bite-size pieces. Birds of all sizes will appreciate easier-to-eat peanut chunks and chips, and both whole peanuts and chips can also be blended into a simple bird suet recipe. Whole, in-shell peanuts are also often part of good quality birdseed mixes. Another popular option at backyard feeders is peanut butter, which can be included in suet, smeared on a tree trunk, or added in dabs to a platform or tray feeder.

Because peanuts are so popular, specialized feeders make it easier to offer these treats in your backyard. A mesh peanut feeder will hold whole nuts and make the birds work to wrangle each nut out of the feeder—providing plenty of entertainment for backyard birders as well as making the supply last longer. Peanut chips can be offered in hopper feeders, and any types of peanuts can be added to a tray or platform feeder. It is important, however, not to offer too many peanuts at once—they are highly susceptible to mold and mildew and can go rancid in just a few days in warm or moist climates. To avoid wasted, unappetizing nuts, only put out as many peanuts as the birds will consume in a day or two. Always store peanuts in a cool, dry place to keep them fresh as long as possible, or consider buying smaller quantities to keep the supply fresh.

Squirrel Treats
Peanuts are also a favorite treat of squirrels and chipmunks. There are many ways you can work to squirrel-proof a bird feeder to make it more difficult for squirrels to raid the nut supply, or you can offer a second supply of peanuts in a specialized feeder, such as a hanging squirrel jar. In many cases, squirrels will prefer this type of diversion feeder as they opt for the easiest available food source. Only offering a day or two’s worth of nuts will also help keep squirrels, chipmunks, or other wildlife from hoarding the treat.