Do Birds Have Taste Buds?

Birds are so different from us in so many ways, it’s interesting to wonder how much we have in common with them. An interesting question that comes up from time to time is about whether birds have a sense of taste and whether they have taste buds.

Birds do have taste buds, though far fewer than we or other mammals. The degree to which birds can taste depends on factors such as the number of taste buds they have and their natural diet. Chickens, for example, have only two dozen taste receptors, while parrots have more than 300.

Birds have taste buds located in different parts of the mouth, beak and even throat.

Taste is a very important sense because it allows birds to determine whether a food source is safe to eat. For example, poisonous insects or fruit can be discarded based on taste. Without taste buds, choosing a meal can be a risky affair for birds!

Read on to learn more about birds’ sense of taste.

Parrots have one of the best ranges of taste

Can birds taste?

Birds can taste, although this sense is not as refined as their amazing senses of sight and hearing. It has been suggested that the sense of taste in birds is less developed than in other animals because birds have fewer taste buds.

However, birds have a higher ratio of taste buds to mouth size, and there is evidence that their sense of taste is well developed.

However, the sense of taste of birds is quite different from that of mammals, and there are some substances that birds seem unable to detect.

Which birds get the best taste?

Parrots and ducks may have the strongest sense of taste in the bird world. They have a relatively large number of taste buds, totaling 300 or more.

However, taste perception will vary between species and flavors. A 2015 study found that the bar-tailed bunting, an exquisite insectivorous bird from tropical Africa, has 12 bitter receptor genes, while the domestic pigeon has only one.

Similar to parrots, ducks have one of the strongest senses of taste of any bird

Which birds don’t have a sense of taste?

Ostriches are birds without taste buds. Almost all birds have a sense of taste, but some are definitely better than others. Pigeons, for example, have only 37 taste buds, while ducks are said to have hundreds.

Read on to learn more about what birds can and cannot taste. You might be surprised!

What can birds taste?

Birds are said to be able to detect all major taste types. These include the following familiar flavors:

Sweet

Sweetness is not important to most birds, and most species do not have the ability to detect this taste. However, sugar is thought to be detectable by most songbirds, and we know that nectar-eating birds like hummingbirds love it!

sour

Birds can taste sour, although they are not as sensitive as we are. This is highlighted by the fact that some birds will ingest substances with a pH as low as 1.5. In comparison, lemon juice has a pH of around 2-2.6.

bitter

Birds are able to detect bitter tastes, although this ability varies between species. Many plant and animal toxins have a bitter taste, so this is a very important feeling!

salty

Seagulls and many other birds have the ability to handle high concentrations of salt. Birds, however, are able to detect salt and have been known to reject food or water sources that are high in salt.

Umami

Umami was the fifth flavor that was not accepted until 1985, although it was first proposed in 1908. Umami is the taste of saltiness, or more specifically, glutamic acid and nucleotides.

Fieldfare mouth full of earthworms

What can’t birds taste?

Birds can’t taste capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers taste “hot.” It’s an obvious fact that birds will happily feed on spicy fruits like bird peppers, while mammals tend to avoid them.

Peppers may have evolved to encourage birds and deter mammals, since birds are able to disperse the seeds over greater distances.

Birds show no discomfort when eating spicy food, so many birders have found chili peppers to be effective in deterring unwelcome squirrels from visiting bird feeders.

By sprinkling paprika on bird seeds, squirrels can be kept away while the birds continue to eat unaffected. Unfortunately, this technique can damage the bird’s eyes, so a more humane solution is the better option!

Parakeet eating green chili

Do birds choose food based on taste?

Taste is one of the factors that help birds choose food. It helps determine the chemical and nutritional content of food sources.

Birds can choose food based on the nutrients, salt and energy they provide, while rejecting toxic substances. Oddly, some birds have taste buds located on the back of the tongue or even the throat, meaning they have to swallow a morsel to taste it.

However, bitterness is an important cue for birds to assess whether a food source is poisonous or safe. Many plant and animal toxins have a bitter taste, and detection of these toxins can be a matter of survival for birds.

Blue tit eating peanuts from bird feeder

Do birds remember the smell of food?

It’s hard to say if birds remember the taste of food, but they probably do. Birds have both excellent memories and the ability to learn.

Titmouse and other food-storing birds must be able to remember where they store food for the winter, so we know that birds certainly use memory to remember where food sources are located.

Bird Smell FAQs

Do parrots have taste buds?

Parrots have around 300 taste buds, a relatively high number for a bird. Their taste buds are mostly confined to the upper side of the mouth, although they are also located in the back of the mouth.

Do crows have taste buds?

Crows are known to have taste buds on their tongues. For example, piebald crows from Africa have taste buds on the upper surface of the front of the tongue.

Do eagles have taste buds?

Eagles are said to have taste buds, although their sense of taste is not as well developed as other birds such as parrots.

Piebald crows have taste buds on the upper surface of the front of the tongue

Do birds like spicy food?

Interestingly, the birds don’t seem to be affected by the spicy food. They will happily eat peppers that mammals actively avoid.

Do Birds Eat Sour Food?

Birds can taste sour foods. They show a greater tolerance to acidic foods than we do, even eating foods with a pH of 2 or lower.

Do birds have a sweet tooth?

It’s not clear whether all birds can taste sweets, but some certainly can. For example, parrots and other fruit-eating birds are attracted to sweet treats.