Can Birds Eat Walnuts?

Can birds eat walnuts? I’m glad you asked. Birds eat various food such as almonds and blueberries, but can birds eat walnuts? Let’s find out what’s good and bad about this delicious snack.

Can Birds Eat Walnuts?

The answer is yes. Birds can eat walnuts, but before you start giving walnuts to your birds, there are a few risks you should be aware of first. Continue reading to find out what’s good and bad about giving walnuts to your bird.

Are Walnuts Good for Birds?

Yes, Walnuts are good and safe for birds to eat in moderate amounts. However, you have to learn how to prepare them properly to avoid some risks.

Walnuts are a good source of several nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, proteins and carbohydrates that can serve your bird.

Down below, we’ve put together some of the health benefits of giving walnuts to birds.

Vitamins

Birds need vitamins to maintain their body functions. Below are few vitamins that birds can get from walnuts.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) helps in protein metabolism in the birds’ body, impacting their overall well-being from growing and repairing muscles to a healthy skin.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and is necessary for the function of many organs in the bird’s body.

Minerals

Birds need various minerals in their diet. Down below are several minerals that birds can get from walnuts.

Potassium in walnuts helps reduce blood pressure and protect birds from strokes and other diseases like osteoporosis and kidney stones.
Magnesium in walnuts aids the birds’ body to have healthy blood sugar levels as well as a healthy heart.
Iron content of walnuts is required for birds’ body to create healthy red blood cells.
Phosphorus content of walnuts help’s birds’ body filter and remove waste from the kidneys. It also aids birds in rebuilding cells and tissues.

Fiber

Walnuts contain 7% fiber which helps keep your bird’s digestion system in good condition.

Protein

Walnuts also contain 15% protein which is important for birds’ growth.

Are Walnuts Bad for Birds?

No, walnuts are neither bad nor poisonous to birds just make sure they are unsalted. However, eating extensive amounts can cause some serious side effects like digestion issues, diarrhea and clogged arteries.

Do Birds Like Walnuts?

Yes, birds do like walnuts; they find them incredibly tasty and would happily eat them whenever they can.

Want to make sure? Watch the following video:

How Much Walnuts Can Birds Eat?

There is no exact rule on how much walnuts birds can eat. However, walnuts or any other treat shouldn’t make more than 5-10% of your bird’s total calories. You should consider walnuts as a treat, not as replacement for their main diet. If you feed birds walnuts, it should be as a part of a well-balanced meal.

How to Feed Walnuts to Birds?

Here is how you can offer walnuts to birds.

Seek organic walnuts whenever possible.
Ensure there aren’t any potential pesticides on them.
Crush up the walnuts a little for small birds so they can easily eat.
Mix the walnuts with other foods that your bird usually enjoy.
Start with a small amount of walnuts the first time you give them to your bird to see if they show any side effects. This should be done with any new treat.