Suet Eaters Have Just One Taste Preference

A couple of years ago, as part of an experiment designed to drive away squirrels with hot pepper-infused foods, I first put out "Hot Pepper Suet" cakes. Back then, I fretted that my suet customers would be repelled by the overnight change in menu and reject the hot pepper product. Not only did I have nothing to fear--all the suet eaters readily accepted the substitute (except squirrels, that is) but now I have the opposite problem. Whenever I put out non-hot pepper cakes, those are categorically rejected. Here's an example. This suet basket held a "peanut blend" cake...for over three weeks. The cake was almost entirely intact. I replaced it with the hot pepper suet alternative and in just twenty four hours it has experienced noticeable degradation. I won't be surprised to see the cake reduced by half before the end of the week. It's really something to behold. My neighbor up the street puts out three "high energy" el cheapo cakes and they are reduced to crumbs in days. Five houses away, the bird's mood is strictly South of the Border. I only wish I could interview the birds to better understand what in heaven's name is such a powerful taste changer. Just one of those eternal mysteries, I suppose.