Compare Prices and Ingredients Before Purchasing Wild Bird Seed
Avoid feeding birds ingredients they won’t eat like milo and cracked corn which could attract pest birds like squirrels and starlings. Instead, look for quality ingredients which provide protein, fiber and vitamins to wild birds.
Contents
Feeders
No matter your bird feeding needs – black oil sunflower seeds, high-energy blends for woodpeckers or gourmet blends of fruits, nuts and shell-free peanuts – online retailers typically have more choices than big box stores when it comes to bird food products. Some even waive delivery fees or provide loyalty club discounts!
Cracked corn and milo, two essential ingredients of bird mixes, can be purchased inexpensively at agricultural supply stores; however, buying them wholesale from large discount retailers may significantly lower costs.
Small songbirds like finches, titmice, chickadees and nuthatches enjoy feeding on Wagner’s Nyjer Seed Premium Wild Bird Food – it is the go-to product when feeding finch tube feeders or thistle feeders with tiny kernels without larger birds gracing the kernels!
An attractive blend designed to attract songbirds. Perfect for use with hopper, tube, platform and suet feeders.
Seeds
Wild birds rely on a diverse range of seeds, grains, fruits, and vegetables to thrive. When choosing bird seed products, be mindful of what goes into each bag: look for high percentages of popular seeds such as cracked corn or milo compared to cheaper fillers such as cracked corn milo sorghum oats wheat etc.
Avoid seed with thick shells that only larger birds with strong bills can eat; most songbirds do not prefer them. Instead, opt for smaller and easier-for-most birds-to-eat seeds such as hulled sunflower seeds and wild bird mixes, including black oil sunflower seeds.
An essential first step for bird watching enthusiasts, a basic seed mixture will attract many species, such as cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, mourning doves, sparrows and juncos. You may also wish to include nyjer seeds – small and thin and loved by goldfinches, purple finches, pine siskins and quail alike; in addition there’s white proso millet that attracts sparrows, grackles, doves crows & wild turkeys alike!
Cleaning
Feeding birds involves maintaining fresh, high-quality food at your feeders – this means cleaning and replacing seed regularly, particularly after rain or snow melt events.
Ground birdseed is not only an eyesore, it attracts pests and predators that could pose a threat. Additionally, wet birdseed can become moldy quickly which could make birds sick should they consume it.
An effective solution for avoiding these issues is selecting a premium wild bird seed blend with few fillers such as cracked corn, milo, wheat and oats; look instead for high proportions of popular seeds such as black oil sunflower. This will ensure that backyard birds eat what they desire instead of having to sort through unsuitable debris like empty hulls and debris that they cannot digest. Also be sure to clean your feeders regularly — at least every five or seven days with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach then rinse thoroughly before drying completely before refilling it again before refilling it again with fresh seeds!
Storage
Wild bird seed mixtures consist of different seeds, grains, and ingredients designed to attract various bird species. For best results, store this seed in an airtight container stored somewhere cool and dry such as your garage, shed, or basement; moisture can cause it to spoil and attract insects that could harm the birds visiting your feeders.
Bird seed should be stored in airtight metal or plastic bins with airtight lids; however, upcycled coffee cans or any other containers will work just as effectively. Just ensure it’s large enough to contain all your bulk bird seed supplies while being aware that squirrels and raccoons may chew through plastic containers over time.
Bird seed blends that feature popular seeds like sunflower and millet are usually more attractive to birds than those which contain more fillers such as cracked corn and milo, which may not.
