Peanuts (Archis hypogaea)

Peanuts are perhaps the most commonly known type of birdfood. They are a great food as they have a high fat content. They are available in a variety of forms from whole, crushed or grated for example, or still with their shells on; 'Monkey Nuts', where trasditionally, the nuts in shells are threaded together on a string and hung from a tree branch or a bird table.

Due to the fact that peanuts can be infected with with a kind of fungus which in turn produces a poisonous substance called aflatoxin, it is recommended that you only buy peanuts from reputable retailers. As yet, there is no clear evidence as to what level of aflatoxin is safe for birds. Avoid processed peanuts; dry roasted, salted or any other type which is not intended for birds, and avoid whole peanuts around the breeding season as small birds choke on them.

Peanuts are used for many other products besides birdfood and are produced around the world with The People's Republic of China pruducing around 37% of the 35 million tonnes each year, followed by India (19%), Nigeria (11%) and the USA (4.5%).

Suitable for:

Blue Tit
Bullfinch
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Goldfinch
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Greenfinch
House Sparrow
Long-tailed Tit
Siskin
Starling