Lentils may seem like a new food popularized by the health craze, but in reality, this food has been around since 8000 B.C.

Lentils are one of the oldest health foods around and for good reason. They are relatively affordable, have high amounts of protein, and are readily available in many parts of the world. But how about giving lentils to birds? This article looks into the question of ‘Can birds eat lentils’

Yes, birds can eat lentils, lentils are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals that can benefit birds. That being said, lentils cannot be the basis of your bird’s diet. If your birds enjoy this food, allow lentils to be up to 15% of their diet.

Can birds eat lentils? Nutrients, Preparation, Types that birds eat

Yes, birds can eat lentils. There are many types of lentils available for consumption. Red, green, and brown lentils each have properties that are great for not only the human body but for birds as well. Lentils offer birds a variety of health benefits:

Health benefits of giving lentils to birds:

Carbohydrates: Lentils contain 16% carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a source of quick energy for birds. Carbohydrates fuel the bird’s cells giving the bird energy to do everyday activities.

Protein: This food is also a source of protein for birds, lentils contain around 9% protein. All animals need protein in their bodies, this nutrient is essential for growing strong feathers. Stong feathers enable birds to fly at their best.

Iron: Iron helps to produce hemoglobin in the bird’s body, haemoglobin is what transports oxygen throughout the bird’s body.

Fiber: Fibre, ensures that regular bowel movements are maintained in the bird’s body. The fact that fiber is undigestible makes it perfect for maintaining good digestion.

Other nutrients: Lentils also contain a variety of other nutrients that are beneficial to birds. This food also contains sodium, folate, fat, potassium, and calcium.

This food should be given in moderation:

Unfortunately, lentils do not offer birds all of the nutritional benefits that they need. Because lentils do not contain all the nutrients that birds need, it should not be a staple in your bird’s diet.  You can feed your bird a diet that consists of 15% lentils at most 

Feeding birds lentils as the base of their diet may supply the animal with all the calories that the birds need but this diet will make birds malnourished. Malnourishment happens when a bird eats the incorrect balance of nutrients.

Lentils may be nutrient-rich but more nutrients are needed by the bird to maintain good health.

What types of lentils can birds eat? 

There are a number of lentil types and all are good for birds. All lentils are packed with protein, but some are more protein-packed than others. Lentils differ in their taste, color, and shape.

Brown lentils: Brown lentils have more of an earthy flavor, they are also a great source of iron, folate, and protein, they are low in calories too.

Pury lentils: Pury lentils have a more peppery taste

Green lentils: Green lentils are more affordable than pury lentils, they are also slightly peppery.

Red lentils: Red lentils may be preferred by birds because they have a sweet and nutty flavor but this type contains less fiber.

Yellow lentils: Yellow lentils are also sweet and nutty, like the red variety.

Birds generally prefer sweeter foods, so yellow and red lentils may be a favorite with your bird

Can you serve birds raw or uncooked lentils?

Different birds eat different lentils:

Birds, like pigeons and larger birds, are able to eat lentils and lentil seed mixes. These seed mixes contain uncooked, dry lentils. Dry lentils are mainly edible to large birds.

Smaller birds like finches don’t have the luxury of being able to eat uncooked, dry lentils. 

When feeding birds lentils, or seed mixes with raw lentils, make sure that this food is only fed to larger birds as these are the only birds that can eat them.

Larger birds may be able to eat raw lentils but you may want to reconsider feeding raw lentils to birds as they usually contain anti-nutrients such as phytic acid and Tannis.

Cooking to get rid of phytic acid and tannis

Tannis can prevent the absorption of nutrients in birds, on the upside, they have strong antioxidant properties. Phytic acid also reduces absorption but it also has strong antioxidant properties.

It would be best to cook the lentils to avoid getting these anti-nutrients into your bird’s body, do not give birds raw lentils. Also, soak the lentils overnight before cooking 

In humans, if lentils are not cooked before eating they can cause nausea, dizziness, and even vomiting. This is why it is suggested that humans cook this food before eating it.

The process of cooking this food at high temperatures causes the toxic substances to become denatured and rendered inactive.

Because birds are smaller and have higher metabolisms they are more sensitive to foods and will have a worse negative reaction to foods than humans would

Can birds eat lentil soup? 

Yes, birds can eat lentil soup, that is, if it is homemade and if the soup is made up of bird-friendly ingredients. Store-bought soups tend to contain a lot of salt and a variety of preservatives, these are not good for birds

High levels of salt are not good for birds. Birds have small bodies, the salt content in store-bought soups is likely too much for these animals.

Giving birds foods with too much salt can cause them to become dehydrated, have excessive thirst, develop kidney dysfunction, and can even cause death in the bird.

The effects of preservatives in birds have not been studied but it would likely be best to keep these away from your bird.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, yes, birds can eat lentils. Lentils are a great source of nutrients for your bird and they will add variety to your bird’s diet. This food contains carbohydrates, protein, iron, fiber, sodium, folate, fat, potassium, calcium, and iron.

When serving lentils to birds make sure that the lentils are cooked beforehand to ensure that they are safe to serve.

Birds can eat all types of lentils, each has its own distinctive taste and your bird will have to decide which it prefers

Avoid giving your bird store-bought lentil soup, these can contain high amounts of salt and preservatives. Rather make a bird-friendly soup for your bird at home.

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: Can birds eat kiwi?, Can birds eat lettuce?, Can birds eat limes?, Can birds eat linseed?,