When we think of bird food, figs are not among the first names that come to mind. We do not usually consider it as a candidate for our birds’ food. But some birds love to indulge in this fruit.
In this article, we will take a look at whether figs eat birds. We will also discuss how to keep birds away from figs. Read ahead to learn more about it.
Can birds eat figs?
Birds can eat figs. In fact, it is a favorite for a handful of birds. The fruit is sticky and sweet, which pleases a lot of birds. It is quite healthy as well. But you should not allow your bird to eat too many figs at once. The fruit is only good when eaten in moderation.
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There are many birds that love to eat figs. It is, in fact, the favorite food of many animals. Let’s take a look at different types of figs and how birds respond to these figs.
Raw figs:
Birds can eat raw figs without any trouble. In fact, they love eating fresh figs straight from the tree. Figs are the tastiest when they are eaten raw. This is what makes raw figs so attractive to birds.
The entire body of raw figs is edible. Birds enjoy eating all parts of it, starting from the skin to the flesh and seeds. So birds can eat the whole fig in one session.
Dried figs:
Yes, some birds like to eat dried figs. In fact, most of the pet stores that sell figs as bird food, sell dry figs. This is because many birds love to eat figs in their dry form.
That said, dried figs do not hold as many nutritional values as raw figs. Raw figs are much fresher and come with the maximum nutritional values that the fruit has to offer.
Unripe figs:
Some birds can eat unripe figs. Figs in their unripe form offer a different kind of taste. And in that condition, birds cannot eat the entire fruit at once since many parts seem to be quite hard.
Can wild birds eat figs?
Yes, wild birds can eat figs without any trouble. It is many birds’ favorite food as well. In fact, it is one of the most frequently eaten fruits in the wild. Wild birds like bluebirds, waxwings, vireos, warblers, orioles, and more eat figs.
Figs are one of the most commonly found fruits in the wilds. And they can be eaten straight from the tree, in all their forms.
Whether the fruit is raw, unripe, or dried – birds can eat figs in all forms. This is another reason why this fruit is so lucrative to birds.
Can baby birds eat figs?
Yes, baby birds can eat figs. It is a soft fruit that can be eaten without requiring much effort. In addition, the fruit is rich in nutrition. So it makes a very fulfilling fruit for baby birds.
Baby birds like to eat figs because the fruit is soft and easy to eat. Every part of the fruit holds nutritional values, making it one of the most fulfilling fruits out there.
What birds can eat figs?
There are many birds that can eat figs. In the following section, let’s take a look at some birds that can eat figs and enjoy eating the fruit on a regular basis.
Hummingbirds:
hummingbirds eat fig fruits. They do eat every so often. Fig plants are usually found in regions where there has not been rainfall for an extended period of time. In such regions, other fruit plants are often quite hard to find.
Hummingbirds enjoy eating fruits. And they eat figs whenever they can find some.
Lovebirds:
Lovebirds eat figs as well. These fruits are quite appealing to the animal kingdom.
And birds enjoy feasting on figs because they are generally found in regions where other fruits are hard to find. In such circumstances, fig fruits make very satisfying food for love birds.
Finches:
Finches eat figs. They mainly enjoy eating the seeds of these fruits as finches generally enjoy eating the seeds of fruits rather than the fruit itself.
So you will find your finches quickly eating the seeds. They will later proceed to eating the rest of the fruit if it is in its raw form.
Dove:
Doves eat figs as well. Ringneck doves are particularly fond of figs. They enjoy eating fruits. And they love to eat figs in their dried form.
If you want to offer your dove a proper meal, you can mix figs with some whole wheat bread meal. It will be a real beak-pleaser for your birds.
Budgies:
Budgies eat figs. They can eat fruits of almost all kinds. But you will have to make sure that the fruits that you are offering budgies should be organic, to ensure a healthy diet for them.
In addition, make sure that the fruits are not mixed with any added sweetener. Budgies also enjoy eating fruits like apples, mangoes, apricots, and more.
Ducks:
Ducks eat figs. They enjoy eating figs mixed with bread or other forms of whole grains. This mixture offers them a very satisfying meal which keeps them fulfilled for the entire day.
Robins:
Robins eat figs. These birds enjoy eating figs in all its forms, whether it is dried, raw, or unripe. These sticky fruits are real beak-pleaser for robins.
They can eat every part of a fig, starting from the skin to the seeds, without any trouble.
Can Parrots eat figs?
Parrots can eat figs. In fact, parrots are among the birds who love to eat figs the most. They eat a lot of figs without experiencing any kind of indigestion or health troubles.
Parrots eat figs in all forms, from raw fresh figs to dried figs. However, you should make sure that your parrots are eating figs in moderation. They should not eat excessive figs at once.
But birds like conures do not eat figs. These birds should not be offered any fruits with seeds, for that matter.
Parrots that eat figs:
Quaker parrots:
Quaker parrots are often found in South America, in regions where you will find a large number of fig plants. They enjoy eating fig plants on a regular basis.
Amazon parrots:
Amazon parrots eat figs. These birds are also found in South America. They are also found in the surrounding regions, extending to mexico. These birds grow in regions where there are a lot of fig plants.
African Greys:
African grey parrots love to eat figs. Their region of origin accommodates a lot of fig plants, which makes them drawn to these fruits. They enjoy eating fig plants on a regular basis.
In addition, parrots such as Parakeet, Eclectus parrots, pionus parrots, lovebirds, cockatiels, cockatoos, and parrotlets love to eat figs as well.
How to keep birds away from figs?
To keep birds away from figs, you will sometimes have to take drastic measures. You might have to cover the entire plant with bird netting. Enveloping the tree will protect the figs from birds. The netting is also weather resistant, so the tree will be safe from rain, sun, and wind as well.
To keep birds away from your fig plant, here are a some of the most effective methods that you can follow:
Bird netting:
You will find many bird netting that are made of plastic. These nets are designed to protect plants from birds and other animals.
However, if you notice persistent animals, such as squirrels in the grounds, you will have to take more drastic measures.
These nets not only protect your plant from birds but also from various elements of nature. You can protect your plant from rain, wind, and intense sun as well.
You can either build a frame around the plant to hang the net from it or attach the net to individual sections of the plant.
Organza bag:
Organza bags are another effective way of protecting your fig plant. You can cover your fig fruits with an organza bag to keep birds away from them.
All you have to do is simply slip a bag into each branch of the tree to protect all the fruits hanging from it.
Make sure that you are using the right size of organza bag for your plant. Undersized bags can hinder the growth of the plant.
On the other hand, if you use oversized bags, the method will not turn out to be so effective because in that case birds will be able to get inside the bag.
Final thoughts
Birds can eat figs. There are many birds who love to indulge in figs on a regular basis, including parrots, finches, lovebirds, hummingbirds, and more. Birds can eat every part of a fig plant, from the skin and body to seeds. They can eat these fruits in raw, dried, and unripe forms.