Numerous wild birds visit wild bird feeders each year to feed themselves or raise their young, and using food that will attract a wide range of bird species will attract even more of them to your yard.
Avoid providing bread and other heavily processed food items, which provide minimal nutrition to adult birds and their hatchlings. Instead, sprinkle millet across the ground or offer it in low-hanging tray feeders.
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Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seed is one of the most beloved foods for drawing in wild birds. Finch, goldfinches, sparrows, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches and towhees all take an affinity towards this nutritious treat!
Black oil sunflower seeds are an ideal food choice in colder climates and during the winter months, as their high oil content provides warmth and energy for birds that consume them.
Some ground-feeding birds like to snack on hulled sunflower seeds, also referred to as chips, as they’re easier for some species of dark-eyed juncos and small goldfinches to consume them. Set out a feeder filled with these chips so as to attract those types of birds – these tasty seeds also offer tons of nutrition – from antioxidants, flavonols, fiber, plant-based protein and heart-healthy fats!
Safflower Seed
Safflower seeds are beloved treats of finches, chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks and northern cardinals alike. These small angular seeds feature a hard shell that requires birds to crack open before enjoying their meaty interiors. Their distinct shape and bitter taste help lessen squirrel appeal; making these less appealing options especially helpful in deterring unwanted bully species such as grackles or European starlings from frequenting feeders.
To attract birds to these seeds, they can be presented in separate seed feeders or added into general wild bird food. Birders may also opt to offer them in special cylinder or hopper feeders designed to attract their desired birds – grasshoppers and other pests often avoid this mix! Many feeder manufacturers provide “Cardinal blend” feeders which include specific amounts of safflower seeds that attract these Cardinal birds while simultaneously deterring undesirable ones like grasshoppers from nibbling away at these seeds!
Peanuts
Peanuts attract many types of birds. When offered whole or roasted, they attract cardinals and mockingbirds; shelled nuts are enjoyed by chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and chickadees while chopped peanuts attract wrens, thrashers and woodpeckers.
Peanuts, like other seeds, contain an abundance of fats that birds need for daily activities like flying, preening, defending the nest and nurturing nestlings. Peanuts are particularly useful during colder winter weather when more calories are necessary to stay warm.
Provide peanuts in trays, dishes or specialty peanut feeders; scatter a handful on the ground for hungry beaks to find. Be wary of offering salted peanuts because they could contain aflatoxins which are toxic to birds; also remember that peanuts spoil quickly in warm or humid weather and should only be provided sparingly.
Crushed Nuts
Many nut-eating birds need extra fat in winter, and providing crushed nuts as food source is a great way to do just that. Not only are woodpeckers and chickadees attracted by them; other birds such as wrens and nuthatches may find them just as appetizing too! For optimal results it’s best to put out crushed nuts on a tray, platform or special feeder.
Peanuts and hulled sunflower seeds are popular treats, but must be given in moderation in order to prevent obesity in squirrels. Furthermore, peanuts may contain aflatoxin – a natural toxin known to kill wild birds if not handled carefully.
Hulled sunflower seed is especially popular since its husk has been removed, eliminating any messy feeders at your mealtimes. Unfortunately, though, hulled seed tends to be more costly per gram than its counterparts such as black or striped sunflower seeds.
Fruits
Supplying fresh fruits and berries is an easy and effective way to lure more birds to your feeders. Juniper berries (also known as shadbush or juneberries) provide significant calories and nutrition during winter.
Blueberries, blackberries and strawberries are three other favorite fruity selections that should be planted throughout your yard to provide birds with a continual source of wild fruit. It is important that a variety of fruit trees, bushes and vines exist within this space to guarantee an ongoing source of fruitful treats for their benefit.
As much as jelly may provide energy for nestling orioles and other birds, be wary about offering too much sugar-laden treats at one time; excessive doses could disrupt their digestive systems. Instead, consider offering rendered animal fat-based suet cakes instead; these will be more nutritious while less likely to spoil in warm temperatures.
