ChilliFacts

Habanero vs Bird's Eye Chilli

Habanero is hotter, at about 225,000 SHU against 75,000 SHU for Bird's Eye Chilli: about 3× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 1× to 7×.

Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify

A single orange habanero pepper, close up
A single orange habanero pepper, close up. Photo: The original uploader was H at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 2.5.
225,000 SHUHabanero
75,000 SHUBird's Eye Chilli
3×Heat ratio
HabaneroHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUCarolina Reaper: 1,641,183 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon: 1,400,000 SHUNaga Viper: 1,382,118 SHUTrinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000 SHUInfinity: 1,176,182 SHU7 Pot Brain Strain: 1,175,000 SHU7 Pot Douglah: 1,170,000 SHUDorset Naga: 1,032,310 SHUGhost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHUNaga Morich: 1,000,000 SHUDalle Khursani: 393,950 SHUFatalii: 262,500 SHURed Savina: 248,556 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUSerrano: 15,000 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUHabanero · 225KBird's Eye Chilli · 75,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Habanero and Bird's Eye Chilli on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

HabaneroBird's Eye Chilli
Typical heat225,000 SHU75,000 SHU
Measured range100,000–350,000 SHU50,000–100,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum annuum (often confused with C. frutescens bird chillies)
OriginYucatan Peninsula, Mexico (species from the Amazon basin)Southeast Asia (species from the Americas)
FlavourBright tropical sweetness under the heatFruity, lightly earthy
Coloursorange, red, white, brown, pinkred, green

The Scoville maths

The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 225,000 ÷ 75,000 ≈ 3×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (1× to 7× across the measured ranges).

In between

2 peppers sit between Bird's Eye Chilli and Habanero by typical heat.

About each pepper

Habanero: Now most closely tied to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Bird's Eye Chilli: Like all chillies it originated in the Americas.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Habanero or Bird's Eye Chilli?

Habanero. It averages about 225,000 SHU against 75,000 SHU for Bird's Eye Chilli, about 3× as hot.

How many times hotter is Habanero than Bird's Eye Chilli?

About 3× using typical values (225,000 ÷ 75,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 1× to 7×.

How hot is Habanero?

Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Bird's Eye Chilli?

Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000–100,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Habanero and Bird's Eye Chilli the same species?

No. Habanero is Capsicum chinense; Bird's Eye Chilli is Capsicum annuum (often confused with C. frutescens bird chillies).

People also compare

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Habanero: 100,000-350,000 SHU
  2. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Habanero: 200,000-300,000 average
  3. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000-100,000
  4. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Bird's Eye Chilli: 50,000-100,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.