Re: [CH] Hot Birdseed

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At 12:57 AM 3/20/98 -1000, you wrote:
>Suz wrote:
>
>> I saw some birdfood that was supposed to be squirrel-free because it
>> contained peppers.  Said it was 4 times hotter than peppers, wash
>> hands
>> after touching, etc., the usual disclaimers.
>>
>> My question:  Does this mean that birds have tastebuds and squirrels
>> do not?
>

My understanding is this- peppers evolved heat to discourage being eaten by
animals whose digestive systems could destroy the seed.

The seed passes unharmed through birds, and this is in fact a mechanism for
spreading the seed. Birds have no receptors for the capsaicin. Sort of a
symbiotic relationship.

I personally am glad to belong to the class of creatures in whom seeds can
be digested :)

Also, I have seen, in Walmart, bags of pepper being sold for the especial
purpose of mixing with birdseed to discourage those bad old squirrels. They
apparently don't appreciate the heat.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick Lindstrom                           
<rlind@nettally.com>      
Tallahassee, FL           
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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