Popcorn is the snack of choice when going to movie theatres or having a relaxing night in. This snack has good amounts of fibre and is well-loved because of its low-calorie count. This food is generally served in a giant bucket at movie theatres and moviegoers happily scoop handfuls of it into their mouths. If prepared well enough, it can actually be a pretty good snack that you can eat on a regular basis. But how about giving this tasty snack to animals like birds? This article explores the question of ‘can birds eat popcorn’ 

Birds can definitely eat popcorn, they will love the crunch and taste that comes with eating this food. This food may be a great addition to your bird’s diet but it should only be given as a treat or a snack. Only feeding your bird popcorn will leave it malnourished. When feeding birds, season the popcorn with coconut oil and nothing else

Can birds eat popcorn?

Popcorn can be given to birds as a treat but not as a major part of the bird’s diet. This food offers nutrients such as antioxidants, whole grain, iron and fibre. Because of the nutrients offered in corn, birdseed mixes generally feature corn, in fact, 30-40 percent of any birdseed mix will likely contain corn. Popping corn to create popcorn will deliver the same nutrients as whole or cracked corn. 

That being said, popcorn is not a nutrient-dense food so feeding your bird popcorn alone will leave the animal malnourished. Only feed them popcorn infrequently and in small amounts. 

If you choose to feed your bird popcorn, pick the popcorn correctly, not all popcorn is made equal. Homemade popcorn made on the stovetop may be the best option for birds. With this type, you can control the type of oil used to pop the popcorn and you can choose not to add seasonings to the snack. 

Microwave popcorn is not recommended for birds, this type is generally heavily seasoned with salt and fat. Both of these ingredients can be unhealthy for birds. Birds cannot process large amounts of salt, salt will negatively affect your bird’s nervous system if ingested. The popcorn used in microwave popcorn contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. These types of fats may be healthy for humans but they do not offer birds the energy they need for daily life. In addition to this, microwave popcorn also contains chemicals that can give birds major health problems. 

Popcorn offered in movie theatres is not recommended either. This type of popcorn is high in calories and high in sodium. The average tub of movie popcorn can contain up to 2650 milligrams of sodium and up to 1090 calories. Even the smallest size of movie popcorn is high in sodium and calories. 

How to prepare popcorn for birds

The best way to prepare popcorn for birds is to serve them stovetop popcorn. Start off by heating up the pan and adding a little vegetable oil to the pan. Place the kernels in the oil and put the lid on the pot. The kernels should start popping, once you hear popping you can start shaking the pan. Once the kernels are popped, remove them from the stove and let them cool before serving them with your bird. If your bird enjoys coconut oil you can add a little bit of oil to flavour the popcorn. 

Note: Only serve your bird plain popcorn, or popcorn with coconut oil. Avoid adding salt, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, butter or any other seasonings. Seasonings can have adverse effects on your bird’s health

What to avoid when feeding birds popcorn 

Humans may enjoy buttered, sweetened or flavoured popcorn but under no circumstances should this type of popcorn be given to birds. All this can be detrimental to your bird’s health. In addition, do not give your bird popcorn in large quantities or frequently. Popcorn is not nutrient-rich, giving them too much of this food will cause them to constantly fill up on this food and become malnourished. Always serve popcorn as a part of a well-rounded diet that incorporates a variety of other foods. 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, yes birds can eat popcorn. When feeding birds popcorn rather make the popcorn at home and do not add seasonings to the popcorn, only add a little coconut oil for taste. Avoid giving your bird’s microwave popcorn or movie theatre popcorn as these are filled with salt, unsaturated fats and or chemicals.

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 ice cream?, Can birds eat Indian corn?, Can birds eat onions?, Can birds eat peaches?