If you want to ensure the maximum bird attraction at your backyard feeders, opt for a high-quality seed blend. Avoid mixes containing red millet, oats or any other “fillers” which don’t attract many birds and lead to wasteful wastefulness.
Black oil sunflower seeds are the go-to choice for wild bird feeders, thanks to their thin shells that allow many different species of birds to easily consume them.
Contents
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are an integral component of many wild bird seed blends and are especially beloved among cardinals, tufted titmice and Carolina chickadees – they can even be offered via peanut feeders!
These seeds contain vitamin E, an essential nutrient for maintaining a strong immune system and zinc which supports healthy cell development. Furthermore, they’re an excellent source of fiber.
Many people offer shelled sunflower seeds in tube feeders to attract jays, but as these seeds quickly spoil and can harbor dangerous bacteria, they should only be offered once every 24 hours.
No mess mixes are specially formulated with ingredients that do not germinate into sunflowers, such as pinhead oats, kibbled corn and rapeseed oil. No mess mixes are popular among home mushroom cultivators as they provide an ideal substrate for mycelium to form on.
Safflower Seeds
Safflower seeds make an excellent addition to any wild bird seed mixture, growing much like sunflower seeds but leaving behind less of an unwelcome husk that requires cleanup after feedings and won’t create the big piles of wasted seed found with some bargain mixtures.
These small seeds are rich in protein and fats that provide energy sources for songbirds. Chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, sparrows and titmice love them and they make for great backyard bird food!
Safflower seeds are typically added to mixes during fall and winter when birds require additional calories, though you could try offering them on their own to see which birds you attract in your backyard. Their oil has numerous health benefits for humans as well; its linoleic acid can lower cholesterol levels, aid weight loss efforts and treat skin ailments like dermatitis. They may even be used as cooking oil or in salad dressing.
Millet Seeds
Millet is an economical and readily-available grain spawn option that is often found in wild bird seed blends, offering nutritional diversity while creating more opportunities for mycelium growth. Millet also serves as an effective substrate for mushroom cultivation compared with some of its alternatives; as a substrate it offers greater nutritional diversity for cultivating mycelium in healthy ways.
White millet (Pennisetum dicotyleum) is a favorite food of ground-feeding birds such as quails, sparrows and towhees. Drought-tolerant and easily available from seed distributors or store shelves, white millet can be spread out or set out in low tray feeders to attract ground feeders such as these species. Sometimes combined with black oil sunflower seeds or peanuts for maximum results.
Pearl millet is an essential ingredient of most quality seed mixes, though some manufacturers are decreasing its inclusion to favor reddish sorghum seeds, white proso millet and yellow ground corn instead. While pearl millet may be suitable for year-round feeding in moderate climates or regions with frequent winter rains, you might prefer switching out for something with foxtail millet or niger seeds instead.
Nyjer Seeds
Nyjer (sometimes referred to as “thistle seed”) are small black seeds beloved by goldfinches. Although easily mistaken for native thistles found here in North America, these nyjer seeds do not originate there – instead being grown and heat sterilized in Ethiopia and India before entering the US as birdseed; this process also removes any unwanted weed seeds that might have accidentally made their way into their packaging.
Due to their high oil content, nyjer seeds are best utilized in tube feeders for finches and pine siskins. Their thin shells can become quickly spoilaged; so, according to Wild Bird Feeding Institute recommendations, it is vitally important that it remains fresh. Wild Bird Feeding Institute suggests monitoring it closely for signs of spoilage such as its shine diminishing. Many birders choose to combine nyjer with other seeds like black oil sunflower and hulled or striped millet to attract an array of birds; or scatter it onto ground feeders designed specifically to attract ground foragers.
