# Popcorn and birds

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 7, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041 "2001-03-07T03:00:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041/1 "2001-03-07T03:00:03Z")

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I just dumped a half bowl of stale popcorn, slightly burnt (with a few unpopped kernels, of course) out on the balcony and I wonder: Would popcorn present any hazard to the approximately 6 millions pigeons that sit outside my window every night making loud pigeon noises? And how about the squirrels? If popcorn can be a choking hazard to young children, as my mother led me to believe oh so long ago, would it be a choking hazard to pigeons and tree-rats?

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041/2 "2001-03-07T14:44:42Z")

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It would be pretty close to zero threat. If you can find something that will actually gag a pigeon or a squirrel, you will have a great future in pest management.

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**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041/3 "2001-03-07T14:45:44Z")

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[sub]Please, God, let Kat have discovered a new, silent method of Urban Pest Control.[/sub]

Eh, no, sorry, dear, but I’m afraid the pigeons and tree rats figured out the popcorn thing ages ago. But it’s awfully sweet of you to have worried. Bless their dear little hearts…

[sub]goes down in basement to clean BB gun…[/sub]

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**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041/4 "2001-03-07T15:51:47Z")

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Congratulations on discovering pigeon attractant.  
You will likely now have more critters than ever, since you have now opened a buffet restaurant.

Any food can be a choking hazard to any creature. It’s just that bread, popcorn and Cheez-doodles are not the most nutritious foods for them. Informal studies have show that a squirrel will opt for a Frito Corn Chip over a yummy acorn most of the time, just like kids preferring junk foods to the good stuff.

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**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popcorn-and-birds/57041/5 "2001-03-07T16:15:50Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kat \*  
> **Would popcorn present any hazard to the approximately 6 millions pigeons that sit outside my window every night making loud pigeon noises?**

Only if you shoot it at them out of a sawed-off shotgun. :D:D