Wild birds may search through a mixed seed mix in search of something tasty to eat. Unfortunately, many blends contain filler – cheap seeds that most birds will discard.
Hulled or shelled bird seed can leave behind an unsightly mess under your feeder, making it unattractive and inviting rats and other pests to your garden. By using no sprout wild bird seed, however, you can avoid these issues altogether.
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Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are an incredibly nutrient-rich food with numerous health benefits. Not only do they contain vitamin B, thiamin, zinc and selenium – all essential for immune system health and disease fighting abilities – but they’re also high in vitamin B6.
These nutritious seeds are packed with magnesium, an essential mineral for cardiovascular health. It helps balance calcium and potassium levels within cells, decreasing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis and muscle cramps.
Sunflower seeds are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber. Fiber helps maintain a healthy digestive tract.
Sunflower seeds are not only a nutritional necessity, but they may also reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the body’s response to injury or stress; however, chronic systemic inflammation may lead to various diseases.
One way to reduce inflammation is by avoiding foods high in sodium. This is especially relevant if you are on a sodium-restricted diet.
Millet
Millet is a grass family member that produces an edible one-seeded grain or “caryopsis,” which looks similar to corn kernel. This nutritious whole-grain alternative provides plenty of complex carbohydrates and protein.
Wheat and rice require more water for cultivation, while millet requires little to no water and has superior heat and drought resistance. As such, it has become a go-to crop in regions that experience frequent droughts.
Meals are an excellent source of protein–with 6 grams per serving–millet also contains fiber and magnesium, which may aid in improving heart health and muscle function.
Many Americans may think of millet as a filler for bird seed, but in parts of Asia it’s an everyday food staple. This cereal grain, which looks like a seed, is commonly used as an ingredient in flatbreads, beer, and porridges – making it a great option for anyone looking to reduce their gluten intake; however it should still be eaten in moderation.
Milo Filler
Milo is a sorghum grain that has an unfortunate reputation for being used as filler in inexpensive birdeed blends. Most birds avoid it, and if left on the ground it can grow mold and attract pests like rats that you don’t want in your garden.
Thankfully, there are blends of no sprout wild bird seed that eliminate filler and keep feeders filled with high-quality seed that birds will eat. These specialized mixes offer the ideal solution for your habitat and guarantee a healthy bird feeding experience.
Millet seeds are small, football-shaped seeds that attract most songbirds. Red millet is especially popular, though other popular seeds include black-oil sunflower seeds in their shell, safflower seeds (not particularly liked by squirrels), nijer (for smaller birds) and white millet.
Other Filler
You may not realize it, but many inexpensive mixed wild birdseed blends contain cheap filler seeds as filler ingredients to reduce cost and bulk out the bag at lower costs. Birds will ignore these less desirable seeds for more desirable options like sunflower or peanuts.
These discarded seeds often end up on the ground beneath your bird feeders, where they can attract pest birds like possums, squirrels and mice that are unwelcome at your feeder.
Premium no sprout wild bird seed mixes contain only 100% edible ingredients that birds can eat, providing you with a mess-free feeding area and saving you money since you won’t be paying for the weight of hulls or filler that birds won’t eat.
