Cracked corn and milo seeds tend to repel most songbirds, so choosing a mix without these fillers will attract more songbirds while decreasing waste at your feeders.
Feed chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers and jays with black oil sunflower seed blend to attract chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers and jays. Their thin hulls make them easier for small birds to consume.
Contents
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds make an irresistibly tasty snack or addition to a variety of recipes including soups, salads and casseroles. Their versatility extends even beyond snacking as sprouted, roasted or toasted versions can often be found ground into sunflower seed butter, providing an alternative for people with peanut allergies who require spreads with similar effects.
Hulled sunflower seeds are easy and convenient way to feed many species such as black-capped chickadees, sparrows, finches, titmice, woodpeckers, jays and grosbeaks. You can either sprinkle directly onto the ground or put into a feeder such as an open tray wide mouthed tube or mesh feeders for optimal performance.
Black oil sunflower seeds feature thin shells that make them easy for small and weak-billed birds to crack open, providing plenty of energy needed for survival through winter. You can offer these alone or mixed in with other seeds that attract larger breeds like grackles, blue jays or woodpeckers.
Cracked Corn
Cracked corn is a favorite among birds and it is frequently added to mixes to attract ground-feeding species like sparrows, jays, grackles, doves, blackbirds, towhees and quail. Pheasants, wild turkeys and ducks also enjoy eating cracked corn as it provides both oil and starch; offering large platform or tray feeders or simply scattering directly on the ground is ideal. Squirrels, chipmunks and other playful wildlife will happily munch away at crackcorn treats too!
Cracked corn-based birdseed is often more cost-effective for backyard bird enthusiasts and may help deter squirrels or other predators from stealing more costly seeds.
Wagner’s No Waste Wild Bird Food contains black sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, white millet, red millet and peanut pieces designed to attract songbirds without using cracked corn as lure. Milo seeds – commonly considered filler seed by birds – have also been excluded as these offers little nutritional benefit to birds.
Peanuts
Peanuts, which belong to the legume family Fabaceae, are highly desired by jays, crows and chickadees; squirrels, raccoons and bears too! Due to their large seeds, however, peanuts should only be offered in relatively small amounts at one time in order to prevent spoilage and mold/mildew growth; to maintain optimal conditions. They should also be regularly checked for signs of debris or insects as this will hinder their enjoyment.
High-quality wild bird seed mixes contain high-energy black oil sunflower seeds, sunflower chips and white safflower, along with peanut pieces to attract songbirds of various species. When selecting your mix be wary of milo, wheat, oats or red millet as they tend to attract birds that pick through and create a mess under feeders. Furthermore, avoid mixes containing rye or barley which harbor moisture, which encourage mold growth as well as sprouting seeds that may deter some birds from visiting your feeder altogether!
Dried Fruit
Dried fruits and nuts make excellent wild bird seed alternatives to corn. With higher fat and protein contents than sunflower seeds or cracked corn alone, dried fruits and nuts attract birds that might otherwise pass by your feeders without visiting. Plus, their varied textures help attract species not found elsewhere!
Stay away from cheap bird seed blends from big box stores that contain filler grains such as milo. Although milo may provide nutritional benefit for birds, it will often get pushed out onto the ground by birds feeding from your feeder and create an unsightly mess under its feeder.
Take the worry and waste out of bird seed by choosing one without shells and shell fragments; look for one made up of hulled sunflower hearts and peanut pieces as this blend attracts chickadees and other songbirds without milo or other fillers – this product is guaranteed to reduce waste under feeders!
