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Home » Chili Pepper Types » Hot Chili Peppers » African Bird’s Eye / African Devil

African Bird’s Eye / African Devil

by Mike Hultquist · Oct 7, 2013 · 23 Comments

The African bird's eye pepper is a small, vibrantly colored hot pepper found in the African wild, clocking in at 175,000 Scoville Heat Units, popular in soups, hot sauces and more.

Chili plants - bird's eye peppers.

lso sometimes known as Piri Piri or Pili Pili, the African Bird’s Eye is a small chile, growing to only about 1 inch, but they pack a lot of punch. They mature to red or purple, and have a tapered shape, with a blunt point. Historically found in the African wild, it has recently been grown commercially in some parts of Africa, often to be used as pepper extract or as organic pest control.

Scoville Heat Units: 175,000 SHU

Also sometimes known as Piri Piri or Pili Pili, the African Bird’s Eye is a small chile, growing to only about 1 inch, but they pack a lot of punch. They mature to red or purple, and have a tapered shape, with a blunt point. Historically found in the African wild, it has recently been grown commercially in some parts of Africa, often to be used as pepper extract or as organic pest control.

The African Bird’s Eye is commonly used in soups, stews, hot sauces and chicken dishes, but the flavor is less interesting than other popular peppers. It is a close relative of the Tabasco pepper. It is the main ingredient in Peri Peri Sauce - get the recipe here.

Try Some of These Recipes with African Bird's Eye Peppers

  • Jollof Rice
  • Sambal Terasi (Indonesian Chili Sauce with Shrimp Paste)

Learn About These Other Hot Chili Peppers

  • Devil's Tongue Pepper: All About Them
  • Carolina Cayenne Chili Peppers
  • Fatalii Chili Peppers
  • Datil Pepper: Fiery Chili from St. Augustine
  • Sugar Rush Chili Peppers
  • Tshololo Chili Pepper
  • Wiri Wiri Pepper
  • Bahamian Chili Peppers
  • Tiger Paw NR Chili Peppers
  • Tabiche Chili Peppers
  • Madame Jeanette Chili Peppers
  • Jamaican Hot Chili Peppers
  • There are even more here!

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  1. Sara Garrett says

    July 14, 2025 at 7:31 am

    I have Chiltepins and Hontakas that I grew last year and have dried and stored in glass jars. If I grind them up, are there any good spice blends that I can make using them for heat?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 14, 2025 at 7:33 am

      Sara, absolutely. You can use them in any of my blends. See my Spice Blend Recipes here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/spice-blends/

      Reply
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