Birds rely on high-fat and energy-dense food during winter to survive; you can attract these birds into your yard by providing the top wild bird seed for winter.
Black oil sunflower seeds boast higher fat contents than their striped or safflower counterparts, and have thinner shells that allow birds to easily break them open – a favorite among cardinals, woodpeckers and other seed-eating birds.
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Black Oil Sunflower Seed
Black oil sunflower seeds are an ideal way to attract winter birds, offering their source of nourishment: fat. Plus, their thinner shells allow birds to easily break them open and consume them.
Seed can easily be scattered on the ground or placed into hopper, tray and platform feeders for distribution. If you want to attract finches, mix thistle seeds (also known as Nyjer), which feature tiny needlelike seeds resembling thistle flowers. Finches, pine siskins and dark-eyed juncos all flock towards these delicious tiny treat!
Make sure the sunflower seeds you purchase are advertised specifically as being suitable for wild birds, since those sold to humans may contain flavorings that could prove hazardous to wild creatures.
Sunflower Hearts
Sunflower hearts are a delicious winter snack, packed with essential fatty acids and offering plenty of calories. Birds find them easy to open their seed coat and feed it directly from a ground tray, bird table or special sunflower heart feeder.
Avoid feeding low-quality or spoiled seed to birds as this will not attract them and could introduce diseases into their bodies. Instead, opt for high-quality mixes like Wagner’s Greatest Variety Blend that are appealing to multiple species of birds.
Peanuts are another winter bird feeder staple that attracts black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and northern cardinals to your yard. Feed stale in-the-shell peanuts to encourage birds to shell themselves; other anti-squirrel options include Nyjer seed for finches such as redpolls and siskins that they love; specialty mixes tailored towards specific species of bird; suet which is rendered beef fat that caters specifically to insectivorous birds such as finches or insectivorous birds like finches or insectivorous birds; alternatively suet is rendered beef fat that birds love as a meal!
Crushed Sunflower Seeds
Suet offered in cakes, balls, shreds or nuggets and mixed with other seeds is another high energy food option that attracts woodpeckers, chickadees and other clinging birds; pre-made suet cakes make distribution easier while resisting mold and spoilage more effectively than individual seeds.
Other seeds, like safflower and white proso millet, can be added to sunflower seed to give additional energy or attract ground feeding birds such as sparrows. For finches specifically, try offering nyjer (also called thistle or thistle), also known as thistle, in finch feeders to attract this tiny bird species favored by finches, goldfinches and pine siskins alike. It works especially well as an anti-squirrel ingredient. When selecting seed treated for human consumption however; often heavily salted versions contain other ingredients not ideal for birds such as pepper, which would not attract them either!
Nuts
As natural food sources decrease during winter months, birds need high-fat seeds and nuts as a source of nutrition. Peanuts and shelled sunflower seed are particularly beloved among blackbirds, chickadees, titmice, jays and woodpeckers – they even enjoy eating it! Many seed mixes include nuts or chunks in order to draw more birds in; you could also offer individual feeders with nuts as an attraction!
Hulled sunflower hearts and chips are popular with finches, making a nutritious treat when offered in special finch feeders or thistle socks. Nyjer, commonly spelled thistle seed, is another high-calorie option popular with finches and pine siskins; usually treated to prevent germinating but susceptible to mold growth when exposed to rain or cold conditions.
Squirrels can be an annoying presence at most bird feeders, with cracker corn and milo being their go-to foods. Try switching out for something with less filler ingredients such as black oil sunflower, white proso millet or safflower seed mixes as these might help lessen this problem.
