Bird Feeding Guide: What Are the Good Types of Seed?

Bird Feeding Guide: What Are the Good Types of Seed?

When it comes to what kind of bird seeds there are and which are bird favorite ones, you will find plenty of choice. One breed can attract many birds, but not all birds eat the same seeds. It depends on the size of it and its beak. Thus, how do you decide which type of seed is the best? The article will help you understand what is available and which birds are attracted to different seeds.

If you look closely, you can see that many of them prefer the same type. Understanding how to choose the best, you can provide the most desirable food for them, which will help you attract more species to your feeding box.

• Sunflower

All types of sunflower seeds are ideal for backyard birds, and it is ideal for starting bird feeding. For instance, over at FeedsAndSeeds, you can find a variety of seeds and see what is the best choice for your birds. Black oil sunflower seeds are the most common and best suited for most songbirds, while large striped sunflower seeds are suitable for large birds with stronger beaks. Sunflower seeds and chips can be more expensive, but they are also popular with small birds, such as sparrows, titmice, grosbeaks, doves, etc., because these seeds are easy to eat.

• Safflower

Safflower has a thick shell and some birds find it difficult to crack, but it is very popular with cardinals. Although safflower seeds are useful, they are a relatively rare type, however, they are more and more popular among garden birders because of their nutritional value and the fact that birds eat them. Further, it is important to learn about safflower seeds and to see why it is good for nutrition and how to incorporate them into their bird feeding menus. Doves, grosbeaks, sparrows, chickadees are among the birds that eat this.

• Nyjer

The small, thin Nyjer seeds are one of the most popular bird species for small clinging finches. These seeds are very oily and are ideal for winter-feeding birds. However, due to its small size, Nyjer seeds are light and can be easily spilled or blown away. Mesh style or sock feeders are great for these expensive seeds, and clinging birds eat these unique feeders without any problems. Quail, red polls, purple finches, goldfinches are some examples.

• Millet

These small white seeds are a common ingredient in a mixture of bird seeds and can be purchased for individual feeding as needed. These seeds are useful for hoppers and tube feeding systems, as well as ground, pot, and platform feeders. Some of those birds that prefer millet are pigeons, quails, buntings, wild turkeys, sparrows, and juncos.

• Cracked corn

Cracked corn is an inexpensive seed, and is often used as a filler in birdseed mixtures because its high carbohydrate content makes it suitable for feeding a variety of birds, especially those with large appetites. Birds may prefer cracked corn, which eats grains frequently and is common in agricultural areas. These seeds can be served in a hopper or pan feeder or sprinkled directly on the ground for easy access. Who loves it? Those are jays, towhees, quail, blackbirds, ducks, doves, wild turkeys, and sparrows.

• Milo

These red seeds are not the best choice for most garden birds, and are frequently added to cheap birdseed mixtures as fillers. Many birds simply throw away Milo seeds, but they are still useful for many ground-fed species with a hearty appetite. When these birds visit the feeding box, providing Milo is a great way to save money on bird seeds. The seeds are medium and can be placed in trays, platforms, hoppers, or tube feeders or scattered on the ground. Pigeons, ducks, quails, wild turkeys, and grouse are fed with these seeds. 

• Rapeseed and canary seeds 

These two types of seeds are not very useful for the more popular seeds. Some birds eat rapeseed, such as quail, pigeons, finch, and junco. Birds eating this are rare, thus the rapeseed will remain spoiled. Canary seeds are very popular with house sparrows and cowbirds, the kind of birds that many people don’t want to attract. However, other species that eat canary seeds are equally happy with sunflowers.

• Mixes

These are packs of bird seeds blended that are attractive to a variety of birds. Generally, black sunflower oil, peanuts, millet, striped sunflowers, etc. are mixed. 

Whether you have birds as your pet or have a habit of feeding them in the park, it’s important to make sure you’re feeding small creatures properly. Instead of homemade food, it is advisable to feed the birds special grains and seeds suitable for their nutritional needs.

Author: Allen Brown.