Feeding wild birds is one of the most beloved winter pastimes. Unfortunately, however, many store-bought bird seed mixes contain seeds that do not appeal to most bird species and could even harm them.
Black oil sunflower seed is widely preferred due to its thinner shells that make opening easy for virtually all bird species, while stripe sunflower is particularly appealing to House Sparrows.
Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seeds are one of the best birdseed options for attracting an assortment of wild birds, thanks to their thin shell and high oil content. As energy-rich foods for many backyard bird species, sunflower seeds make an excellent addition to hopper and tray feeders alike.
Milo, wheat and oats are not popular foods among most feeder birds and they will quickly discard these unwanted seeds onto the ground. Once scattered across your bird feeder’s platform they could then sprout or attract rodents – neither of which are good options!
Hulleed sunflower seeds, with the shells removed, are another fantastic feeder choice that are beloved by cardinals, finches, woodpeckers and pine siskins alike. Available both large and small-sized options suited for different feeder styles – large seed sizes work great when feeding larger birds while small versions can easily fit hopper and tray feeders.
Wagner’s Lyric Supreme Wild Bird Mix is an all-purpose mix, without fillers (such as red milo). With its highest caloric/ounce ratio among bagged bird seed varieties, this premium wild bird mix will appeal to an assortment of backyard birds including black oil sunflower, striped sunflower, peanuts and safflower seeds – each made using natural, nutritious ingredients designed to ensure repeat visits from backyard bird life.
Safflower Seed
Safflower seed is a favorite among Cardinals and other songbirds. With its thin shell easily cracked open by any seed-eating bird species, its dense content of fats and proteins provides energy-sustaining fuel for their wild diets. Furthermore, unlike black oil sunflower seeds which attract House Sparrows as feeder pests, safflower seeds won’t attract House Sparrows like black oil sunflower seeds do; additionally its bitter taste deters squirrels away from nibbling!
Note that certain bird seed mixes contain filler ingredients such as red milo, wheat and oats that the wild birds you want at your feeder won’t consume; rather they toss these seeds on the ground where they sprout and attract rodents.
Low-priced seed blends often contain fillers. You can avoid them by purchasing an exclusive blend, like Cardinal Blend, that exclusively features high-quality ingredients like safflower.
Nyjer Seed
Nyjer (thistle seed) birdseed is an avidly sought-after favorite of finches such as goldfinches, house finches and pine siskins. The seed’s thin shell allows picky finches to easily open it; making nyjer an excellent addition to specialty feeders. Grown both in Africa and India for canary seed mixes; to offer it yourself, you will require either a special hopper feeder with small ports that enable finches to easily access it.
Many seed mixes contain black oil sunflower seeds and yellow millet, but you can create your own combination to attract more desirable birds. Avoid purchasing seed mixes that include filler seeds like milo or wheat as these are typically ignored by birds and could become weed seeds in your lawn over time.
The ideal food for wild birds is a premium mix featuring seeds and grains preferred by most species, like Kaytee Nut & Fruit Blend for example, to meet their high energy demands. It includes ingredients like black oil sunflower seeds and safflower seeds as well as nuts pieces. This mix can also work year-round in hopper, gazebo and tube style feeders.
