With so many types of seed and seed mixes available, it can be confusing knowing which seeds (or peanuts!) to offer in your feeders. Here's a quick rundown on your backyard birds' preferences:
- Millet: Small seeds that are round and range in color from golden tan to reddish brown. White proso millet helps attract birds to a new feeder since it is more visible. Attracts buntings, doves, finches, juncos, pheasants, quail, siskins, native sparrows, towhees, thrushes, Carolina wrens. Even bluebirds and robins will eat millet when food is scarce in winter.
- Milo: Hard, round, reddish seeds that only a few birds favor. When there are other seeds available in a feeder, birds will discard the milo or ignore it completely. Milo is found in inexpensive seed mixes because it is cheap and relatively big which makes it a popular filler. Attracts doves, pheasants, quail, wild turkeys.
- Safflower: Small, plump white seeds. Popular seed for discouraging jays and squirrels from feeders because of the bitter taste. Buy safflower to add to your current mix or use it alone. Attracts cardinals, chickadees.
- Striped Sunflower: Larger and thicker-shelled than black-oil sunflower. Frequently found in seed mixes, striped sunflower is a favorite food item for large-billed birds capable of cracking the shells. Attracts cardinals, jays (squirrels, chipmunks!).
- Black Oil Sunflower: Small black seed with a thin shell, it is the most common type of seed offered at feeders in North America. High in energy, it is the preferred food item for a wide variety of birds. Attracts cardinals, chickadees, finches, sparrows, grosbeaks, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, wrens, jays and many, many more!
- Nyjer/Thistle: Tiny, thin black seeds. Nyjer is costlier by the pound than most other seeds but a little goes a long way. Offer in feeders specifically made for nyjer to prevent the tiny seeds from spilling out onto the ground. Nyjer is heat treated to prevent pesky weeds from growing under feeders. Attracts goldfinches, house finches, purple finches, pine siskins.
- Peanuts: Shelled peanuts are a popular addition to any feeding station. Attracts chickadees, jays, juncos, nuthatches, sparrows, titmice, woodpeckers. In-shell peanuts are a favorite for jays and, of course, squirrels!
Knowing which seed or seeds a particular species likes is only half the battle.... you also have to make sure you are offering it in the proper feeder for the species!
