Ace Hardware offers top quality bird seed, suet and feeders designed to attract local birds. We carry various blends designed specifically to attract certain types of species in our region and at different times of year.
40lb bag filled with sunflower and white millet to attract bluebirds, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches and finches of all species. Packed full of vitamins and minerals to support wild birds during long winters, breeding seasons and migration periods.
Contents
Millet & Milo
Millet and milo are small grains that attract many species of ground-feeding birds, including ground doves. A good bird food mix will contain both these grains along with others more appealing to various bird species.
White proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is the optimal millet variety for wild birds, drawing in species such as juncos, sparrows, towhees, blackbirds and grackles alike. Additionally, this feed type can also be found in broiler chicken and laying hen feed rations.
Red millet, sorghum or milo seeds should be avoided as these will attract unwanted House Sparrows and European Starlings that harm native bird populations. While larger sorghum seeds are commonly used as filler in cheaper bird seed mixes, their inclusion could potentially attract unwelcome House Sparrows or European Starlings that threaten them as well. If you want to attract healthier wild bird populations instead, larger sorghum seeds should not be used for filling these mixes!
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, commonly referred to by their acronym BOSS, are an exceptional food source for birds and other creatures alike. Packed full of protein, linoleic acid and other essential vitamins and nutrients – black oil sunflower seeds provide an extra boost of health to chickens during moulting or cold weather conditions.
Sunflower seeds contain high oil contents, making them susceptible to rancidity when stored improperly. When temperatures heat up during summer months, two weeks worth of seed should be stored and extended as temperatures cool off as the seasons change.
Black oil sunflowers produce flowers in 80 to 100 days from sowing and the seeds can be harvested two to three weeks later. Hopper, tray and platform feeders work best since birds may find it challenging to gather seeds from tube or mesh feeders.
Nyjer Seed
Niger Seed (commonly referred to as thistle seed although it doesn’t actually come from thistles) contains high oil content and is widely enjoyed by various bird species. Birdwatchers especially enjoy offering it at their backyard feeders during winter as an energy boost for birds that don’t migrate south for warmer climes.
Nyjer seed blends such as finch mix and canary seed blends are popular ways of offering wild birds access to this tasty treat, while some tube feeders feature special ports designed to dispensing this small seed so it can be consumed without scattering the thin hulls on the ground.
Goldfinches can often be seen at nyjer/thistle feeders, along with finches, sparrows, chickadees and woodpeckers! But other species also love these feeders!
Safflower Seed
Safflower seeds are packed with both fats and proteins, making them a favorite among songbirds. Plus, their bitter taste repels squirrels and other pesky garden visitors!
Safflower seed oil can be used as an effective medicine against heart disease, “hardening of the arteries”, atherosclerosis and stroke. Additionally, it serves as a stimulant, cough suppressant, expectorant to loosen phlegm and laxative.
Safflower seeds can be found both as individual products or included in high-quality wild bird feed blends, such as Cardinal Blend. Offering them in feeders such as hopper, tube and platform feeders with adequate perching space should help draw in birds like Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Nuthatches and Finches (all types). Safflower also works well when scattered near shrubby and protected areas.
Peanut Pick-Outs
If you want to attract finches, titmice, sparrows, house finches, purple finches and redpolls into your yard, try Wagner’s Nyjer Seed Premium Wild Bird Food. This small black seed attracts both songbirds and squirrels; serve it in thistle feeders or sock feeders designed specifically for smaller seeds for maximum success.
Heath Outdoor Products’ Amazon Choice wild bird suet cake pack of 12 is another product to attract birds; with peanuts as its star ingredient, this variety promises to draw in more species while not melting in direct sunlight.
This mix of striped and black oil sunflower seeds, millet, nyjer seed, sunflower chips and peanuts are ideal for Montana birds such as cardinals, blue jays, robins and woodpeckers. Plus, its special formulation helps prevent mold or spoilage in high humidity environments!
