Birds love peanut kernels in their shell and this high-energy food attracts woodpeckers, jays, jays, robins, towhees and cardinals. Be wary when offering too many as squirrels will also benefit from your generosity!
Mixing different seed blends together can bring more species to your feeders while saving money in the form of reduced waste from uneaten seeds on the ground. Adding pecan chips or pieces may also bring new visitors.
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Peanuts
Peanuts provide birds with energy for flight, preening, nest building and nurturing hatchlings as well as calcium potassium and other vital nutrients that they require for proper development. Peanuts have long been considered an affordable southern birdfeeding staple – perfect for budget-minded bird seed enthusiasts!
Peanuts in their whole shell form are enjoyed by jays, crows, grackles, cardinals, woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches alike. Larger birds may gather multiple nuts into their bills at once while smaller species break off pieces to store away for future meals.
Peanuts make an ideal food source for wild birds. Use a simple tray feeder or combine them with seed blends to increase their nutritional value. Avoid seasoning, salting, and smoking them to reduce dehydration of birds as salt dehydrates them quickly causing stomach upset. Furthermore, never use tube feeders as these harbor moisture quickly leading to spoilage of peanuts quickly. Make sure that they’re free of dirt, insects, rodent droppings etc before offering to wild birds without fear of contamination!
Sunflower Hearts
Sunflower hearts are an increasingly popular garden seed choice and will attract a variety of birds into your garden. Packed full of energy and easily digested, sunflower hearts attract all manner of finches, woodpeckers and blackbirds.
Oily seeds also boast a very high protein content that’s especially essential in colder conditions when birds need extra sustenance to stay alive. Their oil content also keeps feathers, skin and beaks healthy.
Sunflower hearts are also husk free, which eliminates much of the mess caused by regular straight sunflower seeds. Birds tend to strip off husks on regular sunflower seeds but with this variant birds cannot do this anymore and any unwanted husks simply fall to the ground rather than germinate! This creates a much less messy feeding station!
Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seeds are beloved treats among many birds, from Northern cardinals and rose-breasted grosbeaks to tufted titmouses and pin siskins. From whole, shelled hearts or even kibbled seed (which helps extend shelf life), sunflower seeds provide high energy for winter birds – especially during long, dark months like December/January/February! Sunflower seeds are frequently included as part of higher quality wild bird seed mixes.
Sunflower kernels are an excellent source of protein, fat and fiber as well as being full of essential vitamins and minerals – including beta-sitosterol which has been proven to prevent breast cancer.
Black oil sunflower seeds feature thin shells that make it easy for most species of birds to open them quickly. But House Sparrows and blackbirds may find it harder to open the stripes; if House Sparrows and blackbirds are overcrowding your feeder, consider switching over to this variety instead. Additionally, pre-shelled sunflower seed kernels eliminate any mess left behind when picking them up later on.
Black Oil Sunflower
Black oil sunflower seeds are a favorite among seed-eating birds, due to their thin shells that allow virtually all species to easily crack open the seeds and their high fat content, which provides energy during winter migrations or long journeys. Black oil sunflower seeds also offer valuable nutritional value when sprouted for consumption as micro greens.
When purchasing black oil sunflower seeds, make sure they possess a fresh scent and do not become rancid quickly. Their high oil content means that they oxidize easily; for this reason it’s wise to purchase only as many as will be consumed within two weeks.
Plant sunflowers in rich, well-draining soil and provide regular irrigation. Sunflowers can become quite thirsty during hot weather; to ensure their success, additional watering may be necessary until they have established themselves and can withstand most drought conditions. It is wise to monitor them closely for signs of pests or diseases as soon as they appear.
