A reliable wild bird seed supplier should have extensive knowledge about their products, be able to answer your queries, repair feeders and honor warranties. Paying more for high quality seed will save money in the long run by eliminating wasted uneaten seeds on the ground.
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Feeders & Accessories
Your choice of feeder can make a substantial difference to what type of birds visit your garden. Choose quality, durable materials like red cedar that is naturally antibacterial. Tray-style feeders typically feature multiple seed ports spaced evenly to reduce territorial disputes; plus some have extra storage at their bases for additional seeds or treats!
Picking out the appropriate feeders is key to providing your backyard’s feathered visitors with all the nutrients they require for optimal health. Premium bird seed blends typically consist of black oil sunflower seeds and peanuts, which cater to many species. Supplementing this mix with specific foods like thistle (nyjer) seeds for finches or suet for nuthatches may further increase bird population in your yard.
If squirrels have been raiding your feeders, consider one with a squirrel-proof design, like this one from Cole’s. However, keep in mind that no mammal-proof feeder exists; even squirrel-resistant feeders could potentially become targets of raccoons or bears.
Seed
Seeds are the characteristic reproductive body of both angiosperms (flowering plants) and gymnosperms (conifers, cycads, and ginkgoes), comprising miniature undeveloped plant embryos enclosed within stored food reserves and protective coating. Seeds have evolved to perform various functions including multiplication, storage, dormancy and dispersal.
Seeds come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are designed to entice animal dispersers to consume them, while others have hooks, barbs or sticky hairs that stick onto fur or feathers. Others are designed to float freely across water bodies such as the Coco de Mer seed which has the capacity to spread over 40 miles between islands in Seychelles archipelago.
Shop for seed blends that attract specific species of birds all year-round. From basic blends like black oil sunflower seed for cardinals and nyjer thistle seeds for finches to specialty options like suet to draw woodpeckers in, you have many options at your fingertips to bring the birds right to your backyard.
Feeding Birds
Birds burn thousands of calories every day, necessitating high protein/high fat seed blends as energy reserves to fuel them through.
Sunflower seeds are an essential element in most birders’ feeders as they draw a wide array of species to them. Finches, buntings and titmice prefer fine sunflower chips; medium chip size attracts goldfinches and siskins while niger or thistle seed attracts American goldfinches, redpolls, pine siskins and chickadees in great numbers.
Avoid bargain seed mixtures that contain milo, wheat and red millet as these seeds are generally disfavored by most wild birds. Furthermore, cheap mixes often leave behind uneaten food waste which becomes damp and moldy quickly, potentially exposing ground-feeding birds to bacteria and fungus. High quality bird mixes should list guaranteed levels of crude protein, crude fat and moisture content on their label.
Bird Identification
Recognizing birds at a distance can be tricky. Even with the aid of a field guide, mastery in bird identification takes extensive experience.
One key clue that helps make identification simpler is noting what type of bird seed the animal consumes – as certain species prefer certain varieties over others.
Other important indicators include color and field marks, songs/calls/habitat preferences/behavior traits that help create more accurate bird identifications. Each factor contributes towards more precise bird identifications.
Keep the season in mind. Some birds change from bright summer plumage to darker winter outfits in autumn, dramatically altering their appearance such as scarlet tanagers turning more olive yellow during this period. Seasonal changes may also help when distinguishing male rose-breasted grosbeaks with black-headed grosbeaks in order to identify which is present.
