Black oil sunflower seeds are highly sought after by backyard birds and create less waste at your feeder compared to striped seeds with thick shells. Plus, they’re often more cost effective than some mixes!
Pine siskins and goldfinches enjoyed eating nyjer thistle seeds while red-bellied woodpeckers took advantage of dropping peanuts onto the ground to grab them up quickly. We recommend leaving out only small quantities at one time so as to prevent spoilage quickly.
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Kaytee Black Oil Sunflower
Black oil sunflower seeds are an easy, reliable source of energy for backyard wildlife birds, offering quick fuel with thin shells that most species can crack without creating much mess underneath their feeders. Their reduced hull waste means less mess below a feeder than options such as striped sunflower or peanut seeds!
Cardinal-favorite seed, this premium mix attracts grosbeaks, chickadees, nuthatches and sparrows while discouraging squirrels. Triple cleaned to minimize debris build-up for easy eating by birds!
Kaytee Nyjer Thistle Seed
Nyjer seed (Guizotia abyssinica) is an oily, high-protein bird seed designed to attract finches. Often mixed with rapeseed (from which canola oil is made), this source provides a good alternative for those who would rather avoid feeding house sparrows and cowbirds with sunflower seeds.
These feeders can accommodate standard tube finch feeders as well as smaller mesh sock type feeders. Also popular among ground feeding birds such as mourning doves and quail. As these products have been heat sterilized to prevent sprouting, this makes them an excellent solution for those concerned about invasive plants in their yards.
Kaytee Safflower
Safflower seed mixes are excellent additions to most feeder types, from tubes and trays to platforms and hoppers, drawing birds such as jays, robins, blackbirds, finches, chickadees, nuthatches and grosbeaks – and helping prevent squirrel infestation! Safflower also works to deter squirrels.
This blend contains vital nutrients to promote healthy feathers and bones, such as sunflower hearts and chips to ensure year-round feeding. Furthermore, its calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium components help strengthen wings and feet for improved performance as well as deter squirrels from visiting, making this blend especially helpful in areas with high squirrel populations.
Kaytee Hummingbird ElectroNectar
This ready-to-feed hummingbird food requires no mixing. Packed with essential electrolytes for staying hydrated, its clear appearance resembles nectar produced from flowers.
It contains no artificial colors and contains a high concentration of finely ground sucrose for easy digestion by hummingbirds. Unfortunately, some users have reported issues with mold growth, dissolving, and residue in their feeders; refrigeration should be considered after opening. Unfortunately, it’s more costly than alternatives.
Lyric Fruit & Nut High Energy Mix
This wild bird food mix is an ideal way to attract an array of birds. Packed with nutritious seeds that will support bird health, this mix also features steamed corn with crimped edges and shell-free peanuts for extra diversity. Cranberries and raisins provide extra sweetness that help attract non-seed eaters.
This product is specifically designed to attract woodpeckers, juncos, cardinals, and grosbeaks. It can be used with any feeder including hopper, tube, or open tray feeders and features no fillers for reduced waste – making it suitable for year-round feeding!
Audubon Park Critter Crunch
Audubon Park Critter Crunch is a special wild bird food blend designed to attract squirrels and other wildlife while simultaneously decreasing competition at your bird feeders. This combination features corn, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, and whole peanuts as ingredients.
It is a cost-effective solution, suitable for tray, platform and hopper feeders alike. Since it contains high-carb milo and white millet varieties that require frequent cleaning of feeders. Furthermore, this feed also makes a good winter choice.
Wagner’s Classic Blend
Wagner’s Classic Blend is an excellent, high-quality mixture of millet, milo, cracked corn and sunflower seeds designed to attract wild birds of various species. This recipe works great for tube, hopper or platform feeders and should be fed year round by beginners and hobbyists.
This blend didn’t perform quite as well in our preference tests, but it remains an excellent solution if you want to avoid ground-feeding birds like jays and pigeons or are on an upper floor and want to reduce shelled droppings.
Wagner’s Cowbird Blend
This high-energy seed mix has been specially created to attract Brown Headed Cowbirds and other songbirds. It includes their favorite seeds such as safflower and black oil sunflower seed plus peanut pieces to ensure success.
Many cheaper seed mixtures contain filler seeds like milo, wheat and oats that birds typically toss aside or even leave unattended; such ingredients could potentially harm some species of bird.
A premium mix will contain less filler seeds to ensure that all of the bird seed consumed.
