The late summer months represent the first few weeks of fledglings who have flown the nest searching for food
Alex Evans Deputy Audience Editor
11:45, 11 Aug 2025Updated 12:25, 11 Aug 2025
Gardeners are being urged to put hot sauce or chilli on their bird feeders(Image: Getty)
Gardeners are being encouraged to add tabasco or hot sauce to their bird feeders, in an effort to support fledglings who have left the nest and are in need of sustenance this August.
Despite the peak of bird feeding frenzy having passed, late summer marks the initial weeks of fledglings venturing out of the nest in search of food. This results in a surge of young starlings, sparrows, finches, tits and blackbirds scouring gardens for nourishment, all relatively inexperienced in foraging.
Due to a significant decrease in insect populations, which studies suggest have declined by as much as 60 percent over the past two decades, birds have considerably less available food sources, putting them at serious risk of starvation. This is why gardeners are being urged to make a difference by leaving food out for these birds.
Birds are fond of a variety of foods, including specially prepared bird food mixes such as mealworms, as well as household items like sultanas, raisins, oats, sunflower seeds and various other nuts and seeds, reports the Express.
Hot sauce can help feed your birds(Image: Getty)
However, the issue with leaving food on bird feeders is that it often attracts unwanted visitors such as squirrels and rats. Grey squirrels pose a significant problem for birds. They are invasive, having largely displaced British red squirrels across the UK.
Not only do they consume birds’ eggs, but they also damage trees, uproot planted bulbs and eat food intended for birds. If you have a bird feeder or bird bath in your garden, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) recommends using something spicy, such as Tabasco or chilli powder flakes, to season the food.
The RSPB advises: “Fruit, especially bruised apples and pears, will be popular with thrushes and blackbirds. Household scraps like pastry, cooked rice and breadcrumbs should only be offered in small amounts occasionally.
“Strong chilli powder or pepper sauce (like Tabasco) can be shaken onto bird food. Birds aren’t bothered by the chilli, but most squirrels can’t put up with the burning sensation and will leave the food alone.”
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