Wild birds rely heavily on seeds, berries, plants and insects as food sources; providing additional sources at your feeders may help them survive during winter.
Trees provide seeds, buds, sap, berries and nuts which attract birds into your yard. Planting trees and shrubs will bring more wildlife into your backyard!
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Sunflower Seeds
Seeds, berries and fruit are an important source of nutrition for wild birds. Most birds fall into one of four food-eating categories based on their preferences for food sources: insectivores, omnivores, frugivores or granivores.
Sunflower seeds are easy to come by in bags and are an all-year staple at many backyard feeders. Sunflower seeds offer winter finches, crossbills and nuthatches an energy and fat boost during their chilly seasons; in addition, sunflower seeds contain antioxidants such as Vitamin E as well as flavonoids such as Helenine, Quercetin Kaempferol Apigenin Apigenin as well as phenolic acids (5).
Food that has gone bad, rancid or moldy should never be given out for wildlife as this can be extremely harmful and cause illness or even death for birds. Also avoid giving any mushrooms with caps and stems as these contain cyanide which is toxic for birds; and never offer bread with visible mold spots or too much salt which could lead to dehydration, kidney/liver damage and should therefore never be offered as treats!
Nuts
As temperatures decrease during winter, birds require high-fat, high-calorie food sources to help keep their body temperatures at an acceptable level. Nyjer seed is an ideal option for finches, redpolls, siskins and woodpeckers while peanuts (in-shell or peanut hearts) draw jays, chickadees, nuthatches and tufted titmice to their meals. Seed mixtures containing all these items plus millet and flaked maize attract blackbirds, house sparrows dunnocks and finches alike!
Fruits, seeds and nuts will attract birds to your feeders as well. Bananas are especially beloved among northern cardinals, evening grosbeaks and scarlet tanagers; old berries, raisins and other dried fruits appeal to many other birds as well such as cedar waxwings, bluebirds, American robins and scarlet tanagers.
Other feeder foods for birds can include cooked pasta, rice and other starches that provide energy. You should make sure these items are plain without sauces or seasonings to reduce spoilage and toxicity risks; milk-based bird feed may cause stomach upsets that ultimately lead to death in birds.
Seed Mixes
Wild birds enjoy feeding on more than just sunflower seeds, peanuts and nuts; they also enjoy snacking on seed mixes that include black oil sunflower seed, Nyjer thistle seed and safflower seeds to attract an assortment of feeder birds. Some mixes also include rolled barley rye and cracked corn to deter starlings and house sparrows from coming too close.
Oats and millet aren’t popular among many species of wild birds as they don’t offer enough nutrition, often being rejected by most birds. You can offer these seeds either individually or mixed into other types to create your own customized blend of seeds.
Many wild birds favor fruit over seed and will flock to feeders with slices of apple, orange halves or dried berries for sustenance. However, it is important to remember that certain fruits containing cyanide such as avocados or certain varieties of mushrooms could pose potential threats when offered in large amounts to birds.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal (Avena sativa) is an integral component of many songbird species’ diet during breeding season, and is known for being high in soluble fiber content for the heart’s health.
Kitchen scraps like stale bread, crackers and cereal can also attract birds. When offering these foods to birds, make sure there is water nearby for drinking purposes; otherwise it could quickly spoil, leading to bacteria growth which could harm or kill birds.
Birds may benefit from providing rose family fruit pits and seeds from plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines and apples as a food source; the seeds should first be removed as they contain cyanide. Mushroom caps and stems should also be avoided since these may lead to liver or kidney failure in birds. Finally, cooked egg shells provide calcium and grit.
