If you want to attract more birds to your yard, there are certain seed types that tend to be more successful with wild birds than others. While these premium mixes may be pricier, they will typically attract a greater variety of species.
Most bird seed mixes contain filler foods (like milo) which are rarely eaten by most birds. This leaves you with an accumulation of shell waste to clean up.
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Sunflower Seeds
If you enjoy feeding wild birds, but find yourself tired of cleaning up after cracked corn and safflower seeds, try sunflower seeds instead. Not only do they provide protein and fiber to birds, but they’re allergy-friendly as well!
They can be bought raw or roasted, depending on your preference. Furthermore, they come in flavored varieties like hickory-smoked or cinnamon-spiced.
Sunflower kernels make an excellent snack or can be easily added to other foods. Plus, they contain vitamin B6, which has been known to improve moods and concentration levels.
Furthermore, they provide a great source of zinc and selenium. Zinc plays an essential role in immune cell development and function, while selenium works as an antioxidant that fights inflammation to keep your body healthy.
Birds sensitive to hulled sunflower seeds can be fed black oil sunflower seed, which has a thinner shell. This makes an ideal alternative for smaller birds like sparrows, finches and chickadees that have smaller size requirements.
Millet
Millet is an incredibly versatile bird seed that can be offered to birds as a pure meal or mixed into mixes for tubes, hoppers and platform feeders. It provides small birds like juncos, towhees, ground-feeding sparrows, house finches painted buntings and indigo buntings with protein and fiber content they will love.
Nyger seed is an excellent option for larger birds such as quails, doves and gamebirds. You can find it in most commercial wild bird seed mixes and at a very economical cost compared to other kinds of seeds.
Like most starchy grains, millet is high in carbohydrates and provides plenty of essential vitamins and minerals. Its protein and fiber content make it ideal for those on gluten-free or low glycemic diets. Furthermore, millet contains soluble fiber which may help lower cholesterol levels and enhance heart health.
Nyger Seed
Nyjer seed, commonly known as thistle seed, is a tiny black oily seed from the African daisy Guizotia abyssinica. It’s popular among finches, sparrows and other small birds who need extra energy in wintertime.
Nyjer seed can be expensive depending on import costs and availability. To save money, consider investing in a special feeder that holds the small seeds or adding it to a wild bird food blend with sunflower meats, millet, and hulled corn.
Nyjer seeds, small and dark-shelled in color, provide essential oils and nutrients for finches to thrive. They’re popular among goldfinches, pine siskins and mourning doves alike.
Given the high oil content of nyjer seed, it’s critical to purchase only fresh. When the grains appear dull or have many brown seeds mixed in with the black ones, discard them and get a new batch.
Cracked Corn
Cracked corn is a dried corn kernel broken into smaller pieces so birds can easily consume it. It’s an economical alternative to whole kernel corn and popular food for many different species of birds.
Commercial mixed bird seed often includes cracked corn as a filler to add bulk and weight, as well as being an effective way to attract smaller ground-feeding birds like doves and sparrows.
Can be offered in a large platform or dish feeder, sprinkled directly on the ground, or mixed with other seeds. It provides an important source of protein and oil for wild birds such as pheasants, quail, turkeys, ducks, and other larger-sized creatures.
However, cracked corn is not a complete nutrient-rich feed and should be offered in moderation. On average, it contains only 9.5% protein and is low in calcium and omega 3 fatty acids.
