Tweets,
One point that Jamie may have been getting at is that ALL birds are
designed to process unmasticated foods (not broken down). When they tank
up on processed foods like Peanut Butter this causes drastic changes to
their digestive system causing problems. It would be the same as if you
were used to eating only apples and suddenly switched to only apple juice,
while it pratically the same product vital elements are missing.

As for the popularity of peanut butter it should be of no big suprise that
birds hunger after it so. Birds or any animal in general are designed to
find the high level of energy in a food with the lowest effort. Here they
can get super packed energy of peanut butter in a already broken down form
(the main reason they like suet in general). While suet and peanut butter
are high energy forms of food, birds still need to get seeds or something
that can be broken down. For further deomstration of these pints you can
look in Frank Gill's Ornithology.

I have no proof of peanut butter sticking to a bird's mouth. It should be
noted though that just because a bird can process sap or another sticky
substance does not mean that they can process items like peanut butter.
These birds have adapted to process these natural foods and for us to
artificially think that if it can process one sticky thing it can process
something else may me absolutely ignorant and wrong, e need to understand
that adaptation at a deeper level. I love to feed birds and yes the main
reason is to watch them, however we should keep the bird's needs in mind
first.

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA

"Birds don't read bird books. (That's why they are seen doing things they
are not supposed to do)." -Mary Wood