Food › Fruit

What birds eat fruit?

Of the 118 real birds in our field guide, 25 come to feeders for fruit: American Robin, Baltimore Oriole, Keel-billed Toucan, Scarlet Macaw, Lesson's Motmot, Blue-gray Tanager, Passerini's Tanager and Clay-colored Thrush and more.

In North American yards and woods: American Robin, Baltimore Oriole, Cactus Wren, Gila Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Phainopepla and Varied Thrush.

It is the first choice of Baltimore Oriole, Keel-billed Toucan, Scarlet Macaw, Lesson's Motmot, Blue-gray Tanager, Passerini's Tanager, Clay-colored Thrush, Collared Aracari, Great Kiskadee, Superb Starling, Gray Go-away-bird, Crested Barbet, Cactus Wren, Gila Woodpecker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Phainopepla, Light-vented Bulbul, Black-naped Oriole and Eurasian Blackbird: when several foods are out, they go for this one.

About fruit

Fruit brings birds that seldom eat seed: orioles, tanagers, mockingbirds, thrushes and, in the tropics, toucans and barbets.

Put out orange halves, apple slices, bananas or berries on a platform feeder or a spike. Orioles also take grape jelly in a small dish.

In the game, fruit goes in the platform feeder.

Backyard Eastern North America

American RobinBackyard

Also: mealworms.

Baltimore OrioleBackyard

First choice. Also: nectar.

Northwest forest Pacific Northwest, Washington State

Varied ThrushNorthwest forest

Also: millet, sunflower seed.

Desert scrub Sonoran Desert, Arizona and Mexico

Cactus WrenDesert scrub

First choice. Also: mealworms.

Gila WoodpeckerDesert scrub

First choice. Also: suet, nectar, peanuts.

Curve-billed ThrasherDesert scrub

First choice. Also: mealworms, sunflower seed.

PhainopeplaDesert scrub

First choice. Only this food.

Tropical rainforest Central and South America

Keel-billed ToucanTropical rainforest

First choice. Only this food.

Scarlet MacawTropical rainforest

First choice. Only this food.

Lesson's MotmotTropical rainforest

First choice. Only this food.

Blue-gray TanagerTropical rainforest

First choice. Also: nectar.

Passerini's TanagerTropical rainforest

First choice. Only this food.

Clay-colored ThrushTropical rainforest

First choice. Also: mealworms.

Collared AracariTropical rainforest

First choice. Only this food.

Great KiskadeeTropical rainforest

First choice. Also: mealworms.

African savanna Southern and East Africa, at sunset

Superb StarlingAfrican savanna

First choice. Also: mealworms, millet.

Gray Go-away-birdAfrican savanna

First choice. Only this food.

Crested BarbetAfrican savanna

First choice. Also: suet, mealworms.

Australian bush Eastern Australia, among gum trees

Rainbow LorikeetAustralian bush

Also: nectar.

Crimson RosellaAustralian bush

Also: sunflower seed.

Noisy MinerAustralian bush

Also: nectar.

Garden pond East Asia, at the Summer Palace in Beijing

Azure-winged MagpieGarden pond

Also: peanuts, mealworms.

Light-vented BulbulGarden pond

First choice. Also: mealworms.

Black-naped OrioleGarden pond

First choice. Only this food.

City park Europe, in a London park

Eurasian BlackbirdCity park

First choice. Also: mealworms, suet.

Other foods

Sunflower seed (39)Nyjer seed (3)Millet (24)Peanuts (18)Suet (21)Nectar (9)Mealworms (20)