Wild bird food suppliers provide seed mixes, suet and cakes designed to attract various feathered friends. Products include black oil sunflower seeds (with thin hulls that appeal to small birds), Nyjer seed (popular among goldfinches) and Safflower seeds; cracked corn and peanuts may also be provided.
Additionally, there is also available a high-fat suet that caters to larger species.
Contents
Birds
Many types of birds can be attracted to your garden with mealworms and seed cakes as wild bird food, while there is also an assortment of seed mixes and feeders available from bird feed providers that include flax seed (linseed), sunflower kernels, suet and mixed berry seeds.
The highest-quality wild bird food will contain more of their favorite seeds such as millet and sunflower, with less filler foods such as cracked corn, milo, oats, or wheat that don’t appeal to birds as much. A good mix should also be free from empty hulls, dust build-up and mold growth.
As well as wild bird food, some companies also offer seed blocks made of gelatin and corn syrup which hang like hummingbird feeders and contain fruit-flavored sugar pellets to attract woodpeckers, jays, and finches. Although more costly than regular seeds, they could last longer and draw in additional species.
Feeders
Feeding wild birds in your yard can be made easy with just one step: fill a bird feeder. However, before beginning this task it is essential that you know which types of seeds, suet and blocks will attract specific types of birds that you wish to attract.
Manufacturer of wild bird and squirrel feeding products such as feeders, seed mixes and block foods for birds. Also provides birding accessories like baffles, hummingbird nectar concentrate and hangers.
This company provides a selection of wild bird feeds suitable for various types of birds. Their offerings include linseed (flax seed), red millet, white millet and cracked corn as well as canary and canola seed. Their blends and mixes attract finches, sparrows, doves and buntings while their peanut pieces draw woodpeckers, nuthatches and jays alike. Furthermore, their winter bird food options include oat groats along with other seeds like safflower and sunflower chips.
Suet
Suet is an animal fat product made into suet cakes to attract wild bird feeders and attract woodpeckers and other birds to feeders. Additionally, suet can also be reduced and cooked down to produce tallow, an excellent cooking fat with a high smoke point.
Mild flavor makes coconut milk ideal for use as an ingredient or replacement to richer-tasting lard in recipes, or to give foods an attractive flaky texture, which can be especially important when crafting pie crusts.
Unrendered suet can be offered during summer temperatures, while rendered varieties have a higher melt point and should be preferred in hot conditions. Soft or mushy suet should be avoided due to mold growth; additionally it must remain out of standing water or pools. Adding sugar or salt as preservation agents may be useful.
Insects
Anybody who keeps birds or feeds them knows that occasionally there can be seed weevils and moths present in their feed, though this doesn’t indicate any serious deterioration to it. A quick freeze should suffice to kill any additional living protein added by the insects to your meal.
Preventative action is the key to keeping feed fresh. Store it in airtight, sealed containers that block out moisture and light. Inspect your feed regularly for weevils or moths that could enter, removing their webs by refreezing and then refreeze to ensure a secure food supply.
Nuts ‘n’ Bugs is an excellent way to attract insect-eating birds year-round to your yard. Crafted from ground peanuts, dehydrated insects (over 1000 per pound), soybean meal and rendered suet, this high-protein wild bird food offers daily fat requirements as well as 7.7% calcium to maintain strong eggshells and bones.
