Do Pigeons Eat Bees? Is It Safe For Pigeons?
Though the main food of pigeons is seeds, they sometimes also try to eat different types of food. Generally, as an omnivore, they are capable of eating both plants and tiny animals like worms and insects.
But do pigeons eat bees? Is it safe for pigeons? Yes, they can eat bees and no need to worry if the pigeons eat bees as they provide plentiful protein to the pigeons. But they eat bees only when they don’t receive their primary diet. You don’t have to particularly feed pigeons with bees as they don’t like it.
In this article, we will tell you if you can feed bees to pigeons if they like it and much more about it. So, please keep reading to have an in-depth look into it.
Can You Feed Bees To Pigeons?
Yes. You can feed bees to pigeons, and it’s completely okay for them to eat them. But if you pet them, you should think about the best for your pigeons. If you consider providing your pigeons with the best food, it would be great to feed them pellets or grains.
So, we recommend not feeding them bees as it might not be appropriate in all cases. Generally, this bird will usually eat grains, vegetables, leaves, herbs, fruits, cereal crops, etc. Typically, if you have these birds as a lot, you will take care of when and what to feed them.
But in the case of wild pigeons, there is always uncertainty about the abundance of their required foods. Typically, they will feed on grains, seeds, and small berries-type foods. Hence, they will eat bees when they don’t have food.
However, as you pet your pigeons, you won’t feed them with something they eat to survive only. They can eat it when they want to. But you don’t need to feed bees to pigeons specifically.
Do Pigeons Like Bees?
No. To say specifically, pigeons don’t like bees. Pigeons eat bees or other insects when they are hungry and need to survive. They might need to have bees, but they prefer to eat seeds, pellets, and grains over bees.
In other words, they only eat bees when in need of it and whenever only pellets can’t fulfill their nutritional requirements. During breeding or growing seasons, pigeons require way more protein, vitamins, and minerals than at other times.
However, Bees have a good amount of protein and fats, which can fill their nutrition needs. Thus, to fulfill this need, sometimes pigeons eat bees.
Risks For Pigeons Eating Bees
While there are few benefits for pigeons eating bees, it can be bad for them to eat bees in many cases. Here is the risk for pigeons eating bees
- If Pigeons are eating only bees, it won’t give them sufficient nutrition they need
- Pigeons need to have a balanced diet; if they survive on eating bees, it can be life-threatening to them
- Usually, bees are faster than pigeons. Thus, the bird may end up wasting a lot of energy by trying to catch those insects
- There is always a risk of getting stung by any bees whenever the bird tries to eat them
- Bees’ stings can even cause the death of this bird
Why Shouldn’t You Feed Bees to Pigeons?
Bees are okay for pigeons to eat. They can fly around and eat worms whenever they feel like it. But you should give pigeon foods like a mix of grains, pellets, wheat, sorghum, etc., to the pigeons. Do not give them to eat bees.
Here are some reasons why you should not feed bees to pigeons –
- Bees are an optional food for them to fulfill nutritional deficiency when they don’t have any food
- They don’t like to eat any kind of insects, including bees
- Bees contain a considerable amount of sodium and potassium content. Feeding too many bees can increase the salt concentration in your pet’s body, which will be fatal for them
Can I Feed Bee Pollen To My Pet Pigeons?
Yes. You can feed bee pollen to your pet pigeons. Although bees are not entirely safe for pigeon consumption, these pellets are safe. Generally, this pollen is a pellet the worker bees collect from the flower pollen. These pellets are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Generally, one tablespoon of bee pollen contains almost 40 Cal. Also, these contain many antioxidants and beta glucagon beneficial for stamina stimulation. Thus, a meal of these will help your pet pigeons to get proper development and nutritional supplements.
But ensure to feed only a moderate amount of these as they will lose their appetite in their regular diets. Whatever supplements you supply to your pet, you shouldn’t distract them from their regular and customary foods.
Can Pigeons Survive By Only Eating Bees?
No. Pigeons cannot survive by only eating bees. It’s considerable that bees can provide protein to pigeons, but pigeons need balanced nutrition in their body. Thus, they also have to eat other foods to maintain good health.
Eating only bees can harm their body and health in many ways. They need to eat their main diet, which can provide them with all essentials. And constantly eating bees would make them have a disoriented life. In the worst cases, they can also die from the lack of nutritional food.
Can You Feed Bees To Baby Pigeons?
No. You can’t feed bees to baby pigeons. Baby pigeons can be only fed with crop milk. The mother of baby pigeons feeds them this milk. And when they are 9-10 days old, they start eating grains, seeds, or fruits.
And baby pigeons can’t start eating bees in this period. That is because digesting these insects would be hard for the baby pigeons. When they reach a certain age, they will begin finding bees and eat whenever they like. But you should not give it to them unless they are ready for it.
Accordingly, baby pigeons should receive good food, mostly when they are in fledgling age. So do not ever give them bees to eat. Look at how these birds are eating bees in this video :
FAQs
Here you can get the answer to the most asked questions by readers. Read it here –
Pigeons eat bees when they lack food. They can also eat it on their wish. It depends on them. But mostly, they like to have seeds, greens, or grains.
You don’t have to do anything if your pigeon eats bees. Let them continue it. Bees won’t harm pigeons if they do not have it as their sole diet.
No. Having bees is not bad for pigeons. They can have it as it provides them with protein, fats, and minerals. But it should never be their sole diet.
Conclusion
If you have been here from the start, we hope you are clear about “Do pigeons eat bees? Is it safe for pigeons?” In summary, pigeons can eat bees if they want to eat them. You won’t have to arrange for bees to feed them. And it is not bad for them to eat bees.
So, if you see them eating bees for any reason, let them do it. It won’t be harmful to them. But it is better if they receive nutritional foods than eating bees to fulfill their hunger.
