As a food allergy parent, it’s not just our child’s food that we have to worry about keeping peanut-free. Peanuts can show up in other surprising places too, like bird food. So I started researching to find peanut free birdseed that kids with peanut allergies can use to feed birds.
Peanuts are common in bird seed. Some peanut-free bird seed options are hummingbird nectar, oriole feeders, sunflower seeds, thistle seeds, nyjer seed, or cracked corn. These options do not have peanuts as an ingredient, however, cross-contamination is still a potential risk.
This article will also answer:
- Does bird seed contain peanuts or tree nuts?
- Are there any peanut free bird seed options?
- Where can you buy bird seed without peanut as an ingredient?
- How to reduce the risk of cross contamination in bird seed
- How to check if bird seed is safe for peanut allergies
This article may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure for more info.
DOES BIRD SEED CONTAIN PEANUTS OR TREE NUTS?
Peanuts and tree nuts are a common ingredient in bird seed and wild life food. Some companies sell entire bags of nuts to feed animals. Apparently, they love it!
Here are just a few examples of bird seed with peanuts or tree nuts, so you can see what to watch out for.
🚨 Wild Birds Unlimited
Wild Birds Unlimited bird food says in their allergen statement to assume all their seed products have been “potentially contaminated with small amounts of peanut/tree nut debris“ because all their bird food products use the same equipment. They go on to advise, “all our seed based products must be considered unsafe for allergic individuals.“
Wild Birds Unlimited is a brand people with peanut allergies will want to avoid. Below are just a few examples of their products, which shows there are a lot of peanuts and tree nuts processed on their equipment.
- Bark Butter is a spreadable suet that can be smeared on tree bark or bird feeders. It is made from suet, peanut butter, and corn.
- Bark Butter Bits are bite-sized suet nuggets made from beef suet, soy oil, roasted peanuts, corn, oats, and calcium carbonate.
- No-Mess Blend Bird Seed is a mix of sunflower chips, millet, and shelled peanuts.
- No-Mess Plus Blend Bird Seed is a mix of sunflower chips, shelled peanuts, tree nuts, Bark Butter Bits, cherries, cranberries, and calcium.
- Winter SuperBlend is birdseed with peanuts, pecans, tree nuts, Bark Butter Bits, sunflower chips, and Nutrasaff.
- Seed Characters are adorable bird food shaped like animals. Unfortunately, these contain peanuts too. The raccoon below is made of sunflower, peanuts, millet, corn, and fruit.
The complete list of top allergens in the Wild Birds Unlimited facility is: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Soy, Fish, Shellfish, Wheat and Eggs.
🚨 Valley Farms
Valley Farms Premium Bird Food High Energy mix is made from peanuts, dried fruit and berries.
🚨 Wagner’s
This bird seed mix by Wagner’s includes peanut kernels.
🚨 Lightbrown
Lightbrown makes this Peanuts for Wildlife and Birds made from 100% roasted peanuts.
While doing this research, I was surprised how common it is to find peanuts in bird seed.
So I got to wondering, are there any peanut free bird seed brands?
CERTIFIED PEANUT FREE BIRD SEED BRAND
The only regular bird seed I found without risk of peanut ingredients or cross-contamination is Wallis Johns Certified Peanut Free Bird Seed. You can buy this bird seed on Amazon.
The rest of the bird seed brands appear to have a risk of peanut cross contamination. Unfortunately, the regulations for animal food are not the same as human food, so the equipment cleaning and storage guidelines are not as strict and allergen warnings are optional.
Wallis Johns Bird Seed
We ordered Wallis Johns Certified Peanut Free Bird Seed from Amazon. Not only am I grateful that my daughter with peanut allergies can safely handle it, but the birds love it too!
It’s not always available on Amazon, so I recommend ordering some today if it’s in stock.
WATCH THE BIRDS UP CLOSE
Don’t miss out on all the action. Put your safe peanut-free bird seed in a clear window bird feeder to watch the birds up close.
OTHER TYPES OF BIRD FOOD WITHOUT PEANUTS
If you want to stay away from bird seed that’s made in facilities with peanuts, another bird food option is oriole feeders and hummingbird feeders with nectar.
Oriole Feeders for Orange and Jelly
Oriole bird feeders like this are designed to feed birds with orange halves, jelly, nectar, or mealworms. Although it’s not traditional bird seed, it’s is peanut free and safe for those with peanut allergies.
Hummingbird Nectar
Nectar for hummingbirds is another peanut-free bird food option. This nectar is made from Water, Sucrose, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Potassium Bicarbonate.
There are many unique hummingbird feeders available. While more expensive than the classic red style, their beauty helps attract more hummingbirds to your feeder.
WHERE TO BUY BIRD SEED WITHOUT PEANUTS IN IT
You may have your heart set on finding a safe traditional bird seed. If that’s the case, you can choose one of the bird seed options below.
These bird food options do not have peanuts as an ingredient and you can buy them online. However, you still have a risk of cross contamination as peanuts are in the facility (and possibly on shared equipment).
Tip: To reduce cross contamination risks, choose a bird food that is only made with seeds, wear garden gloves when handling the bird seed, and wash your hands after.
1. Black Oil Sunflower Seed for Birds on Amazon
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are one of the most popular foods for birds. The only ingredient is Oil Sunflower Seed.
2. Striped Sunflower Seeds for Birds on Amazon
Striped Sunflower Seeds are a great nutrition source for cardinals, finches, grosbeaks, blue jays, woodpeckers, and other wild birds. The only ingredient is Striped Sunflower Seeds.
3. Nyjer Seed for Birds on Amazon
Nyger Seed wild bird food is another peanut-free bird seed option. Nyger Seed is a favorite for Finches, such as the American Goldfinch, House Finch Purple Finch, and other Songbirds. The ingredients are Niger Seed.
4. Cracked Corn for Birds on Amazon
Cracked Corn is a peanut-free bird food loved by Blue Jays, Junice, and Doves. It’s also eaten by Cardinals and Woodpeckers. The only ingredient is Cracked Corn.
5. Safflower Seed for Birds on Amazon
One more peanut-free bird seed option is Safflower Seed. This seed is loved by Cardinals and Finches, and is also known to attract Chickadees, Blue Jays, Titmice, Grosbeak, Nuthatch, Woodpeckers, and Doves. The only ingredient is Safflower Seed.
6. Order Bird Seed on Blain’s Farm & Fleet
Blain’s Farm & Fleet is another place you can buy bird seed without peanuts in it online. Like the other brands above, there is likely cross contamination with peanuts in these facilities but these bird seeds do not have peanuts in the ingredients.
EXTRA TIP: WEAR WASHABLE GARDEN GLOVES
Wearing gloves is one way you can reduce the risk of cross contamination if you do choose a bird seed that’s made in a facility with peanuts.
Washable gloves like these affordable women’s gloves on Amazon can be kept near your bird seed and washed when needed.
If you’re looking for a child with peanut allergies to enjoy feeding the birds, they make washable garden gloves for kids too. This two-pack of kid’s gloves on Amazon comes in a couple of different colors and sizes.
HOW TO MAKE A PEANUT FREE BIRD FEEDER WITH KIDS
Making bird feeders with peanut butter is a common activity for kids to do at home or at school. Unfortunately, this is not a craft or gift idea that’s safe for kids with peanut allergies.
The solution? It’s simple!
Make a Peanut Free Bird Feeder Craft with Kids:
- Use a peanut-free alternative like SunButter or WOWBUTTER
- Use one of the peanut-free bird seeds listed above
Related Articles: WOWBUTTER Review: Is It Safe for Peanut Allergies? and SunButter Review: What is it Made From and Taste Test Results
HOW TO KNOW IF BIRD SEED BRANDS ARE PEANUT FREE
There are five steps to figure out if bird food is peanut-free and safe for someone with peanut allergies to handle. Steps 1-3 are how to avoid things with peanut as an ingredient. Steps 4-5 help identify if the bird seed has cross contact with peanuts.
- Know if You’re Looking for Peanut or Tree Nuts
- Read the Full Ingredient List
- Read the Food Allergy Warning “Contains” (this is optional on animal/pet food/personal care products)
- Read May Contain Warnings (optional for manufacturers)
- Read, Call, or Email to Ask About Allergens in the Facility
These same 5 steps can be applied to see if any food or personal care product is safe for an allergy, like in these articles:
- Epic List of Peanut Free Brands
- Peanut Free Multivitamin Brands
- Is Popcorn a Nut Free Snack?
- 6 Peanut Free and Gluten Free Brownie Mixes
- 10 Peanut Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free and Nut Free Lunches
FREE GUIDE FOR FINDING ALLERGY-FRIENDLY SNACKS
If you’re looking for peanut free storebought snacks, don’t miss this Allergy Friendly Snack Guide! All snack ingredients are free from the top 8 allergens.
When we help one another out, shopping with food allergies doesn’t have to be so hard.💙
SHARE WITH OTHER FOOD ALLERGY PARENTS
Would you please take a few seconds to help other food allergy families by sharing this on Facebook or saving it to Pinterest?
We all know life with food allergies is hard! Sharing well-researched guides like this can help make life a little easier on a fellow peanut allergy mom or dad today.
From one food allergy parent to another,
-Val 💙
READ MORE FOR FOOD ALLERGY PARENTS
ALWAYS CHECK LABELS YOURSELF
Ingredients and manufacturing procedures can change over time. Please recheck food labels to make sure they fit your dietary needs before eating.
I am a constantly-researching food allergy mom. However, I am not a medical professional and nothing on this blog should take the place of your doctor’s recommendations.
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