Short Answer
Plain popcorn, popped without salt, butter, oil, sugar, or flavoring, is generally considered acceptable for wild birds as an occasional treat in small amounts. It is not a nutritious food, though, and the usual movie-theater or microwave versions are not appropriate. If you are unsure, a proper seed, nut, or fruit is a better choice.
Which Types of Popcorn Are Not Okay?
- Salted or buttered popcorn. Too much salt can be harmful to birds, and butter and oil add fat that is not part of a natural diet.
- Flavored or sweetened popcorn. Cheese, caramel, kettle-corn, and similar coatings add salt, sugar, and artificial ingredients.
- Microwave popcorn. Many bags contain oils, salt, and flavorings. It is best to avoid them.
- Stale or moldy popcorn. Mold can be dangerous to birds, so throw out anything that is damp or old.
What Is the Best Way to Offer It?
If you decide to offer popcorn, air-pop plain kernels and let them cool. Some people break larger pieces into smaller bits, and some string popped kernels for a garden garland. Put out only what birds will eat in a day or so and remove leftovers, particularly in wet weather. Use thread or string you can remove later, since long strands can tangle birds.
What About Unpopped Kernels?
Hard, unpopped kernels are a concern. They are tough, and there is not much reason to offer them when better seeds exist. Some people do put out dried field corn or cracked corn for birds, but that is a different product. See our overview of which seeds birds prefer for common grain options such as cracked corn and millet.
Which Birds Eat Popcorn?
Birds that readily eat grains, such as doves, jays, crows, sparrows, and blackbirds, are the most likely to take popcorn. Squirrels, raccoons, and other animals will also eat it, so it may not stay long on a feeder or the ground. Smaller songbirds may ignore it.
Why Do Some People Put a Potato in the Bird Feeder?
There is no reliable, widely accepted reason for this that I could confirm, so it should not be treated as standard practice. Potatoes are not a typical bird food, and raw green or sprouting potatoes contain compounds that are not suitable for eating. It is simpler to skip it.
Better Alternatives
Popcorn is mostly starch and has few of the fats and proteins birds need. Black-oil sunflower, peanuts, suet, or fresh fruit are generally more useful. For fruit ideas, see feeding apples to birds. For nuts, see whether wild birds eat walnuts.