Can Birds Eat Dates?

The quick and the simple answer is Yes! birds can eat dates. Dates are perfectly safe for birds. It’s a favorite sweet treat of many birds. You can enjoy a flock of birds in your garden by offering them the dates. It’s not only their favorite sweet treat; in fact, dates have many nutritional values for birds. They also have a variety of health benefits for birds. But don’t forget about moderation, as it’s the key to preventing the birds from side effects. You can also feed the dates to your pet birds, such as parrots. There is a variety of ways to prepare the dates for wild and pet birds.

You will definitely enjoy feeding the dates to wild birds in your garden. But don’t be in a hurry to scatter the dates in your yard. You have to know a few things before offering the dates to birds. Let’s know in detail about offering the dates to birds.

Benefits of Dates for Birds 

Dates are packed with many health benefits for humans and birds as well. Following are the health benefits of dates for birds.

1. Great source of antioxidants 

Dates are a great source of antioxidants. They protect the body against free radicals, which are responsible for cancer, heart diseases, and many other chronic conditions. Dates also protect the immune system of the birds.

2. Source of healthy nutrients 

Dates are well-rounded with healthy nutrients. They are packed with vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients. A small amount of protein is also present in dates, such as potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and iron. But make sure to feed in moderation as too much of these contents is also bad for birds.

3. Brain support 

Dates support the brain in many ways, which are associated with the prevention of many neurodegenerative diseases. They lower the inflammatory marker, which is associated with many diseases.

4. Natural sweetener 

Dates are a great source of natural sweetness, which makes them one of the best sugary snacks for birds. When the birds eat processed sugar, they are exposed to different health conditions. But in the case of natural sweeteners such as dates, birds prevent these types of health issues.

How to prepare the dates for birds?

It’s not too time-consuming to prepare birds’ dates like many other bird foods. You just need to remove the seeds before offering the dates to birds. Many large birds can swallow the whole dates with the seeds, which can cause choking hazards for them. Once you remove the date’s seeds, the remaining part is perfectly safe for birds. You can offer the different types of dates to birds, which include the khalal, Rutob, and Tamar.

The Khalal type of the dates is mostly like the apple and can be served in halved or diced forms. Don’t mix it with the other dry fruit as the moisture in the dates can cause mold and rot to dry fruits. The Rutob type of dates can be served whole after removing the seeds or served in a ball size pieces. You can also mesh it with the bird’s favorite seeds to make the seed balls. The last type is the dried dates, which are the sweetest among all the data types. These can be served alone, or you can mix them with the dry fruits of the birds as they don’t contain much moisture, making them the best choice for birds.

Are there any risks for birds in eating dates?

Dates are completely healthy and safe for birds. But it can cause some issues for them, especially when they eat too much. Birds can have the following health risks when they eat the dates too much.

• Too much amount of any bird food can lead them to allergies. The same thing can happen when the birds eat dates. Make sure to keep an eye on the birds, especially your pet bird, when they eat dates.
• Dates are calorie-dense and filling. When the birds eat the dates too much, it can spoil their appetite overall. So make sure the birds are eating the dates along with their other well-balanced meal.
• Dates are a great source of fiber and natural sugar. But it’s, too much amount can cause the digestive upset for birds. So, make sure to introduce the dates to birds slowly, especially to your pet bird.

Can birds eat date seeds?

No, birds can’t eat the date seeds. These are very hard for them and can cause digestive upset. You should remove the date seeds before offering them to birds, as many large birds can eat the seeds accidentally, which can cause choking hazards for them. Even some small birds can crack and break their beak when they try to pick the date seeds.

How to feed the dates to the parrot?

If you are especially looking to feed the dates to your pet bird, you can offer it in multiple ways. You can simply offer the date pieces after removing the seeds or cut the dates into small pieces. You can also crush the pieces and make a paste as it’s another option to serve the dates to parrots. A homemade date bar is also a good option, which includes seeds and nuts. But make sure to don’t offer fried dates as these contain a lot of fat content, which is not good for the parrot’s health. The high-fat content of the fried fruits can lead the parrots to obesity and fatty liver diseases.

Conclusion 

Birds can eat dates as these are completely safe for them. They contain many healthy nutrients for birds. Birds also get the natural healthy sugar from dates. But make sure to remove the date seed to prevent the birds from digestion and other health issues. You can make the date paste or date balls to offer the dates to birds.