Peanuts provide wild birds with an abundant source of protein and fat, giving them energy boosts they may need for all sorts of activities – particularly during cold or windy conditions.
Birds enjoy peanuts for several reasons. While larger birds like cardinals prefer whole or shelled peanuts, smaller birds such as chickadees and titmice tend to prefer chopped versions that are easier to chew and swallow.
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Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers feature long, stout beaks equipped with sharp beak tips designed to chip and drill tree trunks, and their unusually thick skull and bones are flexible with shock-absorbing tissues to absorb shocks from falling tree limbs. A special tongue helps them pull food up from the ground while bristly feathers provide protection from dust and wood chips entering their nostrils.
Woodpeckers can be seen drumming on resonant branches, tree trunks and drainpipes to establish territory or attract mates. You might hear them calling or “flicking” with an audible “kee-oo”.
Downy, hairy and pileated woodpeckers will visit suet feeders in winter to feed on seed, nuts, or suet, especially as their insect diet dwindles away. Flickers and northern flickers are year-round residents in the US that may stop by your feeders on occasion too. As nongame migratory birds classified by the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act and state wildlife laws they are protected accordingly.
Jays
Blue jays are frequent visitors to bird feeders. Their diet consists of seeds, nuts and fruits as well as plant materials like acorns, sunflower seeds and suet. Blue jays may bury or cache food such as peanuts in autumn months and will return frequently to visit your feeder in search of such treats.
Jays are fascinating birds to watch at the feeder. Their skill in gathering multiple peanuts at once and breaking open hard shells before eating is truly amazing, not to mention some even stashing peanuts away for days when food becomes scarcer.
Use peanut-free birdseed such as black oil sunflower seed (a favorite among Cardinals), nyjer or the Lyric Bird Feeder Blend without peanuts to attract Blue Jays, Woodpeckers and Chickadees. All are available online from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Songbirds
Peanuts are an important natural food for songbirds, providing energy-rich fat sources that fuel their singing, preening, raising hatchlings, flying and other daily activities. This is particularly useful during spring and winter when other high-fat sources like suet can spoil quickly.
Songbird species delight us all with their melodious songs, and with some effort you can attract these exquisite birds into your yard by providing the right mix of foods.
Make sure that any wild bird seed mixes you purchase do not include seasoned, salted or smoked peanuts which could harm birds. Furthermore, avoid offering peanuts that have been exposed to aflatoxin, as this can cause respiratory issues among birds.
Cardinals
Cardinals are an appealing sight at any backyard feeder, with their bright red feathers and charming song. Non-migratory, they can be found year round in your yard. Primarily seed eaters but also enjoying fruits and insects.
Children can enjoy snacking on shelled and unshelled peanuts that are packed with protein to stay warm in winter months. These high-fat foods will be sure to do just that!
Provide your cardinal with meatier seeds such as striped sunflower (also known as black oil sunflower seeds) or safflower seed that will be easier for them to crack open using their large, vice-like beaks.
Try our IDEAL Peanut Splits Wild Bird Seed & Squirrel Feed mix to attract colorful birds and curious squirrels into your backyard. It has been specially formulated to meet their nutritional requirements.
Wrens
Wrens are among the most intelligent and inventive backyard birds, which is evident by their boisterous song. Their creative thinking helps them establish dominance over much larger and stronger birds.
Breeding populations reside in open woods, brush, and thickets while wintering populations span from coastal wetlands to mountain pine-oak forests and streamside groves – being generally tolerant of humans and their built environments.
Birds love platform and tray feeders, suet feeders stocked with peanut butter-based products and suet feeders packed with peanuts! Only offer enough peanuts that birds can consume within several days as humidity can quickly spoil them; be on the lookout for mold or darkness which indicate that the peanuts have gone rancid and no longer make edible snacks for birds.
