Birds require food that will provide them with proper nutrition, such as fresh produce. Therefore, any old, rancid, or moldy kitchen scraps should not be given as food sources for them.
Black oil sunflower seeds and white proso millet are among the best foods to give to birds as food sources, while seed mixtures that include split peas, lentils or dried beans cannot be digested by birds.
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Seeds
Seeds are essential food sources for birds, and offering various varieties can influence which species visit your feeders. Bread can be an easy food option for wild birds to digest; however, the RSPB recommends offering other nutritious foods like black oil sunflower seeds (which chickadees and nuthatches love!), niger seeds peanuts safflower seeds suet. Suet provides energy sources for species like woodpeckers that have higher metabolisms during winter.
Milo, oats or other filler seeds should be avoided as these do not attract desirable birds but instead encourage pests such as house sparrows and starlings to nest nearby. Furthermore, their waste can end up on the ground underneath your feeders, attracting even more unwanted scavengers and rodents to your habitat.
Nuts
As the temperature cools down and birds’ metabolic demands increase, providing them with a high-fat diet becomes even more critical. Peanuts are highly calorific; one peanut alone can meet Carolina Wrens daily metabolic requirements! Unfortunately though, peanuts are highly vulnerable to mold and mildew growth and rancid quickly in hot or humid weather, so only provide as many peanuts as will be consumed within 24 hours or two days.
Nuts provide protein, vitamins and minerals essential for overall good health in birds. Peanuts are particularly popular among garden visitors but should be handled carefully due to potential choking hazards for smaller bird species. Peanut butter offers another good solution; its scent attracts other bird species too! Other nuts such as sunflower seeds and hazelnuts also tend to make garden visitors very happy!
Fruits
Fruits provide birds with both sugar and energy during breeding and migration seasons, as well as helping maintain body heat during cold weather conditions. Bananas, in particular, are popular among many types of birds as they contain magnesium, vitamin A, iron and potassium; though whole or mashed bananas should always be offered sparingly to avoid health concerns.
Vegetables such as carrots, kale, dandelion greens, collard greens, beet greens, radishes, cooked sweet potatoes and spinach all provide essential nutrition for birds but should be fed in small pieces to prevent fatty acid build up that could prove fatal for wildlife. Also avoid avocados which contain harmful fatty acids that could prove hazardous; and any fruits with seeds, pits or pits which contain cyanide as these could prove toxic for wild bird populations.
Seed mixtures
Ideal, bird food should include multiple species. Seed mixtures provide wild birds with essential energy and nutrition during winter.
An ideal seed mix would include black oil sunflower seeds as they have thin shells that make them easy for smaller birds to crack open and consume. Other key components in quality mixes may include millet, kibbled peanuts and flaked maize – all taken readily by species such as blackbirds.
Cheaper seed mixes may include fillers such as milo or cracked corn that won’t attract birds; therefore, investing in higher quality blends may be worth your while. Beans, lentils and split peas should only be included for larger species to consume.
Water
Wild birds require water for both drinking and bathing purposes in warm weather, particularly ponds, streams and rivers that supply them. But in drought conditions or during extreme cold snaps these sources dry up completely or freeze up entirely; to ensure these beautiful creatures receive regular fresh supplies of clean drinking water it is vitally important that we offer regular supplies of clean fresh water from reliable sources.
Garden ponds, birdbaths or any shallow basin of water near your feeding station will do the trick; alternatively you could also use plant pot trays or saucers with wide bases – just ensure it is not in an exposed position where small birds could easily fall in and drown.
