Birds are known for eating and loving a variety of nuts and seeds. Nuts that birds love to eat include pecans, pine nuts, beechnuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, acorns, hickory nuts, macadamia nuts, and almonds.

All these nuts are delicious and nutritious to birds, and on top of that, birds love them. But how about cashews? Can birds eat cashews?

Birds can eat cashews and they enjoy them as well. Just like many other nuts, cashews are packed with a variety of nutrients that will benefit the bird. These nuts are also low in sugar and high in healthy fats. To attract birds, leave these nuts in your bird feeder and the birds will flock to it.

Can birds eat cashews?

Yes, birds can definitely eat cashews. Nuts of all types are beneficial to birds, this includes cashews. Cashews are an ideal food for birds as they are low in sugar and rich in heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Birds love this nut and will eat it wherever they can find it. 

If you own a pet bird, it is essential that you add fruits, vegetables, and nuts to its diet, one such nut is the cashew. Just make sure that this nut is not a major part of the bird’s diet, the bird’s diet needs to be balanced for them to achieve good health 

Nutrient benefits of cashews for birds: 

Proteins: The protein content in cashews is helpful to birds as protein helps to maintain the bird’s feathers. Young birds will especially benefit from the protein content in cashews as the protein will help them grow well, proteins are the building blocks of muscle and tissue. 

Fats: The fat content present in cashew nuts is essential as it helps to maintain the color of the bird’s wings. Fats also offer birds calories, calories supply birds with energy, they enable birds to maintain good amounts of activity throughout the day 

Fiber: Another beneficial nutrient present in cashews is fiber, fiber stimulates movement in the bird’s gastrointestinal tract which helps with digestion

Other nutrients: These nuts are also a good source of iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, copper, phosphorous, Vitamin B6, vitamin E, and Vitamin K, 

Birds that enjoy cashews: 

There are many birds that enjoy cashews, birds that enjoy cashews include, but are not limited to:

• Chickadees

• Nuthatches 

• Cardinals

• Blue jays 

• Titmice

• Woodpeckers 

• Grosbeaks 

Can birds eat salted cashews? 

No, birds cannot eat salted cashews. The only cashews that birds should be given are plain cashews. Your bird will love you for this, 

Birds are very small animals, the salt content present in salted cashews is suitable for humans but will be way too much for a bird’s body to handle.

Giving salted cashews to birds can upset the bird’s electrolyte and fluid balance. The result of this is dehydration in the bird, kidney failure, excessive thirst, and even death.

A bird’s body can take small amounts of salt but the amount of salt present in salted cashews is too much for these small animals. 

Can birds eat cashew butter? 

Yes, birds can eat cashew butter, this butter will deliver good amounts of nutrients to birds while being an interesting and fun new way to eat cashews. You can even add this butter into your bird’s suet mix

If you’re looking to feed your bird’s cashew butter, the best option would be to offer them natural and organic cashew butter. Also, try to get your birds the cashew butter that has the fewest, or even better, no additives.

Note: Cashew butter that is labeled as low fat is usually not as nutrient-rich as the regular type, avoid giving your birds low fat cashew butter.

How to serve birds cashews

The fruit and nut of cashew are edible to birds. If you intend to feed your backyard bird’s cashew nuts, here’s how to go about it:

When feeding birds this nut, it is recommended that you cut it up into small enough pieces that the birds can easily swallow. It should then be placed in a feeder. If it’s a pet bird you want to offer this food, you should place the sliced fruit or nut on a tray and have it feed on there. 

Remember to only feed birds cashews in small amounts, cashew nuts are made up of about 20% fat. If you give the birds too much cashew nuts they can put on weight and this can affect their health in a negative way. 

What nuts are poisonous to birds?

Nuts are part of a bird’s natural diet in the wild. The fat contained in this snack helps to keep their skin and feathers healthy. So, it’s perfectly safe to feed birds nuts.

However, you must be careful when giving birds this treat as feeding them the wrong kind of nut can make them fall ill or even die.

If you are a bird guardian, you should never serve your pet bird any nut that is roasted, salted, blanched, or has been exposed to pesticides.

Is it ok to feed wild birds?

Yes, it is ok to feed wild birds. However, while feeding wild birds is a good thing, it should not be overdone.

If you love birds, and have lots of these creatures living in your backyard, it’s ok to feed and care for them, but it’s not something you should do year-round as they might become overly dependent on humans for food.

The best times of the year to feed wild birds are during early spring and late winter when food is in short supply for these creatures. In the summer, when there’s an abundance of seeds, nectar, nuts, fruits, and insects, wild birds don’t really need our help.

What should you not feed wild birds?

Avoid giving wild birds the following foods, and you’ll help them live a longer and healthier life:

Chocolate: The theobromine in chocolate is very toxic to birds and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and death in birds.

Junk food: Cookies, doughnuts, pies, cakes all fall under this category. You shouldn’t feed junk food to birds as they offer little nutritional value.

Salted items: Foods that contain salt are very toxic to birds. Never let them eat any food, seed, or nut that is salted.

Cheese: You should also avoid giving birds any form of cheese or milk. Birds are lactose intolerant and are unable to digest milk.

Moldy or rotten seeds: Always check to see if the seeds are dry and smell fresh before offering them to the birds in your backyard.

Conclusion

In conclusion, yes birds can eat cashews. These nuts are high in healthy fats, proteins, fiber, and low in sugar. This food is excellent for birds.

Cashews also offer an array of vitamins and minerals which will improve the bird’s diet. Just remember to not give birds nuts that have been roasted, salted, or blanched. Also do not feed wild birds to an extent where they depend on you. Avoid giving birds junk food.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Do birds have emotions? Can birds eat hazelnuts? Can birds eat almond butter? Why do mother birds eat their babies poop? What do birds think of humans? Do birds mourn the loss of a baby?