Seeding wild birds will attract an assortment of bird species; however, when selecting seeds and feeders it’s essential to take several factors into consideration.
Commercial seed mixtures often include filler seeds such as milo, wheat and others that often end up as piles on the ground that become wet or contaminated with bacteria, drawing unwanted rodents.
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Sunflower Seed
Sunflower seeds are one of the most widely offered seed types to wild birds, as they provide them with essential oils and calories that will sustain many species. Hulled sunflower seeds (commonly referred to as chips or hearts) offer low maintenance requirements as their shells have already been removed for easier feeding without producing piles of waste hulls.
Striped sunflower seeds feature thicker shells that make it harder for House Sparrows and other unwanted guests to crack open the shells, providing greater variety at your feeder. Both varieties of seed can be fed in hopper, tube, broad-mouthed open-top tube feeders as well as open dishes, trays or platform feeders; squirrels may not prefer striped seeds though!
Thistle
An attractive tube-style feeder designed to dispense small finch seed is ideal for attracting American goldfinches, pine siskins and dark-eyed juncos. Mix thistle seeds (commonly known as nyjer) into an inferior bird seed mixture to attract these and other finches more economically.
Nyjer can also be added to quality finch blends containing sunflower seeds and millet to attract these winter visitors at a lower cost. Just ensure these feeders are placed far enough apart so grackles and blackbirds don’t take advantage of them to steal thistle seeds from these feeders!
Seed feeders with small ports have just enough room for thistle seeds to pass through, as opposed to tray or hopper feeders which feature larger port wells that may cause them to spill out as birds scoop them up. This ensures thistle seeds remain contained.
Nyjer
Nyjer (also referred to as Niger seed or thistle seed) is the go-to food of many finches such as House Finches, Greenfinches and Pine Siskins. As it’s such a small seed without any hulls it provides excellent nourishment to songbirds with smaller beaks while providing energy-rich nutrients at once – though to properly consume these tiny seeds requires feeders with tiny openings so the seeds fit.
Soy-bean bird seed is the only major import from outside North America, typically India and Ethiopia where it’s grown for its oil and medicinal uses. Due to import requirements, heat sterilization must occur for importation as a condition for sale, explaining its higher cost relative to other bird seeds.
Fruit
Birds find fruit to be a nutritious addition to their diets, providing much-needed sugar that powers breeding, migration and heat preservation during summer, fall and winter seasons.
Provide fruit in various ways for maximum impact: chunks of fresh and dried fruits can be placed in open tray feeders, suet cages, decorative string feeders or scattered on the ground. Soaking raisins or currants in water makes them more appealing; alternatively spices or seasonings may not appeal to birds as much.
Planting native vines, berry bushes and fruit trees is another effective way of providing wild birds with a food source they need. Be mindful not to overuse pesticides and herbicides when near any fruit-producing plants!
Suet
Suet is a type of beef fat used by bird feeders to mix with seeds, nuts, berries and peppers into nutritious cakes that birds relish eating. Suet provides extra calories needed during cold weather when energy reserves become depleted quickly.
Suet feeders don’t dispense as much waste and mess than bird seed, meaning less waste and clean-up work for you to deal with, plus no unwanted weeds popping up in the lawn or garden!
Suet can hold its shape well during winter, but can quickly melt when temperatures surpass 90 degrees, becoming moldy or disintegrating over time. For longer-lasting use, no-melt suet blends that contain higher amounts of nut and seed ingredients may provide greater solidity throughout the year.
