If you want to attract wild birds to your backyard, the first step is providing them with tasty food. There are various options for them – from suet to fruit, as well as wild bird seed mixes and more.
Kaytee, Perky-Pet, Pine Tree Farms and Wild Delight all manufacture bird seed mixes, suet cakes and other wild bird food that attract the birds you want.
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Feeding Birds
Feed your feathered friends with nutritious wild bird food to make them more comfortable in your yard and provide them with a nutritious snack. These types of foods help ensure the birds remain a happy and healthy part of the ecosystem.
When selecting wild bird food for your location, the type of birds you would like to attract are key considerations. Popular choices include sunflower birdseed, seed and grain blends or mealworms.
Ground feeding birds is another way to attract them, and can be especially successful during winter when birds need to conserve energy. Place seeds across your lawn or on a platform feeder for added convenience. This method requires less work from you and the birds and is an effective way to encourage them.
Suet
Suet, also known as beef fat, is an ideal winter food for wild birds, providing them with essential proteins and fat that would otherwise be scarce during the cold months. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, jays, house finches and wrens in particular find this type of sustenance particularly tasty.
Commercial suet comes in a range of shapes and ingredients. Some are tailored towards particular bird species, while others serve as treats that appeal to most backyard birds.
Some suet comes in tiny nuggets, making it easier for smaller birds to consume and you to clean and refill your feeders. These nuggets may include berry flavoring which might appeal to fruit-loving birds such as bluebirds and orioles.
Corn
Enjoying corn on the cob or making homemade popcorn is a nutritious way to start your day. Not only does it contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, but it also antioxidants which may help protect you against diseases like cancer or heart disease.
It is an excellent source of potassium and magnesium, both which support healthy blood pressure. Furthermore, it has lower sugar and fat contents than many other starchy vegetables.
Blue jays, cardinals, nuthatches and sparrows often eat this nutritious food as do blue jays, cardinals, nuthatches and sparrows. Furthermore, ducks, geese, turkeys, squirrels and chipmunks enjoy it too!
Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seed is an irresistibly chewy wild bird food, often used in pet foods and as a source of protein for birds. It comes in both mechanically dehulled kernel form or whole seeds with their shells intact; either way, sunflower seed can be enjoyed raw, salted, or roasted.
Sunflower seeds, no matter how they’re consumed, provide an impressive nutritional punch. Packed full of protein, fiber, B vitamins, Vitamin E, magnesium and selenium – sunflower seeds make a nutritious addition to any balanced diet and may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer by helping fuel metabolism.
Sunflower seeds boast high levels of antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which have been known to promote health and prevent disease. Furthermore, they provide dietary fiber which helps you feel satiated and prevents constipation.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is an energizing and healthy snack that can help you keep a balanced diet. It’s packed with protein, fibre and essential vitamins and minerals.
Peanut butter can be purchased in grocery stores or online. Be sure to look for a product with no added sugar, salt or oil and is made with at least 90% peanuts.
It is also high in polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, as well as antioxidants. Eating this fruit helps control appetite and keep you fuller for longer.
