Sunflower seeds with their hulls removed are an attractive food choice for wild birds. Packed full of fat to regulate body temperature and protein for muscle repair, sunflower seeds offer birds an ideal source of nourishment.
Hulled sunflower seed can be purchased via open platform feeders, dish feeders and other types of feeders; however, the per-pound cost may be higher due to paying for shells that go uneaten.
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No mess
Birds can easily consume the hulled seeds, eliminating piles of shell debris beneath your feeders and saving you from having a mess to deal with if your feeders are located in an area with wet or snowy weather (where the ground beneath may become saturated and produce unattractive brown or green plants beneath them).
Birds find the seeds easier for birds to eat; many finches and nuthatches do not possess beaks strong enough to open hard sunflower seed shells with ease. Furthermore, these hulled seeds offer more calories per seed, making them even more desirable to hummingbirds and other birds.
Hulled sunflower seeds are an easy and cost-effective solution for feeding wild birds, perfect for open platform or dish feeders, hopper feeders or any other form of feeders.
No hulls to clean up
Sunflower seeds without their hulls make life simpler for birds to eat and don’t create as much of a mess under feeders, not to mention eliminating the need to collect and dispose of seed hulls which pose health risks to birds as well as contain chemicals which retard grass growth around feeders.
Lacking a shell also means that seeds may not spoil as quickly in hotter environments or become soggy when rain falls, though more frequent cleaning may be needed to ensure smooth operations of feeding ports and avoid any potential clogs.
This seed variety is loved by songbirds and makes for a good combination with black oil or striped sunflower seeds for more general birding mixes. It may help attract Northern Cardinals, jays, woodpeckers and chickadees as well as finches, sparrows, titmice and nuthatches.
More expensive per pound
Bird seed blends and black oil sunflower seeds containing hulls may be less expensive per pound, but they often include hard-to-open shells that cannot be opened easily and therefore end up as hard trash that creates an unsightly mess under feeders or falls to the ground where it quickly turns to mud or decaying shells that inhibit grass or garden plant growth.
Hulled sunflower kernels or chips, commonly referred to as kernels or chips, tend to be more costly per pound than whole birdseeds with their husks still attached, since hulled sunflower seeds reduce waste by eliminating costs for shells that will go uneaten by birds. Still, many birders find the benefits of no waste seeds more than offset any additional costs involved – ideal for use in tray feeders and squirrel proof tube style feeders.
More susceptible to squirrels
Carolina Wrens, Eastern Bluebirds, Warblers, Brown Thrashers and Hermit thrushes all possess thin beaks which do not lend themselves well to hulling sunflower seeds; nevertheless they will enjoy feeding from feeders that contain both unhulled sunflower seed mixes as well as those offering only unhulled seed mixes.
Hulleed seed requires more frequent cleaning. To minimize cleanup efforts and increase efficiency, limit how much is put out at once and replenish daily.
Another option for feeding bird is using striped sunflower seeds, which can be purchased without their shells and will draw cardinals, woodpeckers, jays, nuthatches and chickadees to your feeders. In contrast with house sparrows and European starlings which cannot open their hard shell, striped sunflower seeds won’t attract house sparrows or European starlings so you won’t have to deal with their mess under your feeders.
Needs regular cleaning
Birds need the nutrients found in sunflower seeds to survive harsh winter conditions, while feeder mixes consisting of corn, millet and milo offer carbohydrates but lack protein and fat as effectively. Any seeds treated for human consumption – with salt, sugar or other flavoring agents added – should never be given to birds as these could make them sick.
Black-oil sunflower seeds will draw more species to your yard when combined with hulled ones in feeders, but remember that the latter cost more per pound due to being unpalatable for birds; their shells don’t get eaten and you are paying for something they won’t consume anyway. Plus, their husks could potentially clog up feeders during wet weather!
