Safflower seed is a favorite among cardinals. Other birds including grosbeaks, chickadees and native sparrows often frequent its thick shell, although House Sparrows and European Starlings tend to disregard it altogether.
Plant safflower seeds in hopper and platform feeders or sprinkle them onto the ground to allow birds time to adjust.
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Deterring Squirrels
Safflower seeds provide birds with essential proteins, fats and fiber needed to sustain energy. Plus, their scent deters squirrels who frequently steal sunflower seeds before songbirds do and devour them!
Safflower seed feeders can provide the ideal habitat for cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice mourning doves and rose-breasted grosbeaks to thrive. Safflower is also an effective way to manage larger “nuisance” birds like grackles and starlings which tend to dominate backyard feeders.
As both grackles and starlings dislike the bitter taste of safflower seeds, they typically last longer at your feeder, providing your favorite songbirds ample opportunity to feast upon them. Many people offer safflower seed alongside popular options like peanuts, black oil sunflower seeds or sunflower hearts to ensure optimal bird activity at their feeder.
Attracting Birds
Safflower seeds provide wild birds with a comprehensive balance of fats, proteins and fiber that supports their overall health and energy needs. Their hard, bitter flavor deters squirrels while House Finches love these seeds year-round at feeders!
Cardinals are another common sight at safflower seed feeders, drawn in by its dense calories during colder temperatures and breeding season. Their soft cooing calls can easily add some charm and joy to your backyard!
New foods require time for birds to adjust to, so when introducing safflower seed for the first time it may take some getting used to. To ease them into its taste while exploring different flavors. Furthermore, its soft shell makes cleaning much simpler; especially important if your feeder includes tubes, hoppers or window feeders.
Nutritious
Safflower seeds feature a harder shell that may be harder for birds to open than black oil sunflower seeds, making safflower seed an alternative option for bird feeders – loved by Cardinals, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and other songbirds! Regardless of its harder outer layer though it remains nutritious and healthy – and perfect for Cardinals Chickadees Nuthatches Woodpeckers and more songbirds!
Mourning doves (also referred to as rain or turtle doves) also enjoy snacking on safflower seed, although as these birds prefer ground-feeding habits it would be best if the seed were scattered directly onto their habitat rather than being offered via feeders such as hoppers or tubes.
Online retailers provide various safflower blends to make it easier for you to attract the kinds of birds you wish to see in your yard, or you can buy bulk bags of seed from home improvement, pet, feed, and wild bird stores – and save both money and space with bulk purchases of Safflower seeds!
Easy to Grow
Safflower seeds, an annual thistle-like plant that’s commonly cultivated for vegetable oil production, contain high levels of fat and protein – ideal food sources for birds such as cardinals, grosbeaks and house finches that thrive off sunflower seeds. When added to feeders they quickly transition over to eating safflower seed too!
Seeds with hard, thick white shells provide shelter to their meat while providing a slightly bitter flavor. Birds eating seeds find it easier to crack open this shell than crack open the hard, thick hull of sunflower seeds.
Start out slowly by offering safflower seed along with other bird favorites such as black oil sunflower seeds and peanut granules in your feeders, gradually increasing its quantity until all your backyard birds are receiving this tasty treat exclusively. Try placing it in hopper or platform feeders for cardinals and grosbeaks or spreading it on the ground for mourning doves.
