Will hot and spicy bird seed harm avian visitors to Inverness feeder?

DEAR JOAN: I have recently been dealing with an in-house rodent resident. With the help of a humane exclusion service we finally located its nest in the mattress of my sofa bed! I am now faced with the dilemma of outside bird feeders that attract rodents in the rural neighborhood I live in.

The service man suggested bird seed that is treated with a chili oil type product which he says the birds don’t taste but the rodents find distasteful. The product is made by Wild Delight and is called Sizzle N’ Heat.