Many cheap seed mixtures contain fillers such as milo (also known as sorghum), which are not highly sought after by backyard birds and often become wet or mold contaminated, leading to piles of wasted feed under feeders.
Thistle seeds are highly prized by various bird species, such as chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and gold finches. Woodpeckers also love this treat!
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Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seed (Helianthus annuus) is an energy-rich source that’s loved by wild birds during winter months, providing both protein and fat that help warm their bodies while they hibernate.
Sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of iron, calcium and vitamin B – qualities which many seed-eating birds such as cardinals and rose-breasted grosbeaks utilize in cracking open sunflower shells with ease.
Black oil seeds feature thin shells that are easy for most birds to open, while stripe sunflower seeds feature thicker outer hulls that may prove challenging for House Sparrows and blackbirds to open.
If you prefer not dealing with seed shells, pre-shelled sunflower seeds (commonly referred to as hearts or chips) offer all the same nutrition without the mess on your feeder. They’re especially good for smaller birds as well as people concerned with shells inhibiting lawn or garden plant growth.
Safflower Seed
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) seed is an increasingly popular choice for wild bird feeders. Cardinals, grosbeaks, chickadees and doves all love it; small finches such as American Goldfinches, Lesser Goldfinches Indigo Buntings and Pine Siskins love this seed too! Hopper, tray and tube feeders can offer this product with easy setup; typically less costly than other seed types can also be found easily at most home improvement, pet and feed stores or home improvements/feed stores/pet stores/feed stores/
Safflower seeds provide birds with easy and convenient nutrition, providing high amounts of protein and fat while also being full of fiber – this aids the process of moving waste through their systems more quickly. Plus, with less hulls compared to black oil sunflower seeds there will be much less mess under your feeder!
Safflower seeds can be added directly or mixed in with traditional seed mixtures to feed birds. A good way to introduce safflower seed gradually is to gradually introduce it and monitor how your birds react to it.
Rapeseed
Rapeseed is an oil seed rich in calcium, vitamin E and omega 3s that makes a nutritious addition to ground-feeding birds’ diets, or as filler in lower cost mixes. Due to its small size it also makes an attractive filler ingredient.
This bright-yellow flowering member of the mustard family (Brassica napus) is widely cultivated for its seeds that produce canola or rapeseed oil used in cooking and other applications, and an excellent source of linolenic acid, which has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Thistle seed, more commonly referred to as Nyjer, is an important food source for wild birds such as Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees and Linnets. You can feed it straight or mix it with other seeds for optimal results; its versatility also makes it a good winter alternative for sunflower seeds!
Canary Seed
Canary seed, also known as alpiste, is a popular snack among wild birds but also makes a nutritional addition to human foods. Packed with protein and antihypertensive and antidiabetic activity as well as antioxidants, it boasts plenty of potential uses.
Saskatchewan accounts for more than 50 percent of global canary seed production, which results in price fluctuations as its supply fluctuates.
Seeds contain tiny silica fibers that can irritate people when harvested or handled, prompting many producers to wear dust masks when harvesting or handling seeds.
Breeder in Saskatchewan developed a hairless canary seed variety with no sharp silica hairs for easier handling, and Health Canada granted its general regarded as safe (GRAS) status, meaning food companies can now use it in breads, snacks and nutritional bars. Dehulled canary seed is now also available as milled product granola.
