Slugs and Birds

[chunks]

Can anyone tell me why Birds don't appear to eat slugs. I have loads of birds and slugs in my garden but the birds won't go anywhere near the slugs?

[Thunderbird+]

They have a protective slime as a defence against predetors, with snails its the shell that protects them, unless of course a song thrush comes along and finds a stone (anvil) to smash it on.

[Clanad]

Many varities of birds do eat slugs. As Thunderbird+ has suggested, many don't like the slime, however, since the slugs are, primarily, a nocturnal creature, most birds simply don't find them.
There are several mammals that prey on the slimey critters. Here in the U.S., foxes and racoons eat them. The racoons won't eat them unless they can roll them in dirt first to remove most of the slime. I read that hedgehogs in the U.K. are also predators of the slugs. Frogs, ducks and other water creatures seem to relish them as well...

[smurfchops]

Just a note - please don't ever put out slug pellets - any animals that do eat the slugs, will die from the poison in the pellets. Thanks !

[heathfield]

They don't taste nice unless you sprinkle some salt on them - then they turn crispy. Yum!

[Lonnie]

I use Copper tape to deter them lunching on my Hosta's and Cabbages, I cut a plastic flowerpot so I just have the opening ring, put Copper tape round it, and 'wallah', a Copper ring, and its cheaper than buying ready made copper rings, and the Slugs and Snails are left for the birds and Hedgehogs.

Just a point, I would reiterate what judiewudie has said, also, apart from any harm they may do, they are designed to attract the little beasties, so you don't only get the ones in you garden, they will come in from far and wide.

[Catso]

Are slug pellets really designed to attract slugs? That sounds a/ a little far-fetched and b/ very clever. What is it in them attracts the slugs?

Please, someone, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't there many (most?) types of slug pellets that are described as 'safe' for other animals.

Also, the way I understood pellets to work was that they aren't actually poisonous as such (though wouldn't do you much good if you eat them) but they are an irritant to the bottow, slimy 'foot' of the mollusc and they slime themselves to death trying to get rid of the irritant. Again, someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

And to respond to the original question, I think the main reason (for slugs) is that they must taste horrible to birds. Apart from being largely nocturnal, they don't appear to have any defence against predators, so I'm guessing this. I used to keep hens and although they eat almost anything, including each other, they just wouldn't bother with slugs. Not even an exploratory peck.