Types Of Bird Seed...Who Likes What?

While wondering through the local garden center or nursery it's easy to become overwhelmed at the many different choices when it comes to bird seed.  Who likes what?  It's about like trying to fix dinner for a hungry family and everybody wants something different!  Here's a little guide to possibly help you decide what type of seeds certain birds are most attracted to.

Black Oil Sunflower

By far, this is the most popular seed at feeders.  It is a small, all black sunflower seed that has a high fat content and a thin shell that is easy for the birds to open.  You can buy it in a variety of sizes.  It is often mixed with other seeds and sold as mixed seed.  It should be the first choice for any birding feeding station.

• How to use it?   It is best used in hanging tubular feeders and hopper feeders.

• Who likes it?  It attracts a lot of birds, including chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, grosbeaks and jays.

Striped Sunflower

This is a larger type of sunflower seed that has a lower fat content and a harder shell.  It is black with white stripes.  It is harder for birds to open and not favored by birds as much as the black oil sunflower seed.

• How to use it?  It is best used in hanging tubular feeders and hoppers and feeders.

• Who likes it?  It attracts the same kinds of birds as black oil sunflower. 

Hulled Sunflower Seed

This is sunflower seed without the hull.  It comes as either complete hulled seeds or as sunflower chips.  There are advantages for you and for the birds.  For you, there is no accumulation of hulls under the feeder that need to be cleaned up; for the birds, it is easier to eat.

• How to use it?  This seed is best used in a tubular hanging feeder or a hopper feeder.

• Who likes it?  This one attracts a greater variety of birds than sunflower with the hulls on because birds that normally could not crack open the shell can eat it.  These include woodpeckers, mockingbirds, wrens, along with chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, grosbeaks, sparrows and jays.

Thistle Seed

This is a very tiny black seed.  It does not come from our native thistle plants but is imported form Ethiopia and India.  It is sometimes referred to as 'Niger' seed.  It usually comes in smaller bags. 

• How to use it?  Since this seed is so tiny it must be offered in special feeders that have small seed portals so that it does not all spill out.  These are usually plastic tubular feeders, wooden feeders with fine wire mesh or just plain mesh feeders.

• Who likes it?  This a favorite of the goldfinches.  Other birds who like it are House Finches, Purple Finches and Pine Siskins.

Millet

Millet is a small round seed about the size of the head of a pin.  There are several different types.  White proso millet is light colored and the most popular with birds.  Red and golden millet are somewhat less liked by birds and less often available.  Millet is usually a major component in seed mixes.

• How to use it?  Millet can be placed in a variety of feeders, such as hanging tubular feeders and hopper feeders.  It can also be sprinkled on the ground.

• Who likes it?  Millet is liked by doves, sparrows, cardinals, bobwhites and quail.

Safflower

Safflower is a large seed with a white coating.  It is often used as a substitute for black oil sunflower in cases where people are trying to discourage grackles, starlings and house sparrows, for they don't seem to like it as much.

• How to use it? It is best used in hanging tubular feeders and hopper feeders; it can also be sprinkled on the ground or used in tray feeders.

• Who likes it?  It attracts many of the same birds as black oil sunflower seed but not quite as readily.  The birds include chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house finches, grosbeaks, and jays.  Cardinals are particularly fond of this seed.

Cracked Corn

This is dried corn kernels that have been cracked into smaller pieces.  It is sometimes available by itself but is more often found in seed mixes.  It is generally less expensive than some other seeds. 

• How to use it?  Cracked corn is best used in seed mixes in hopper feeders, tray feeders or just scattered on the ground.

• Who likes it?  A wide variety of birds that like to feed on the ground come to cracked corn.  These include quail, dove, sparrows, towhees, blackbirds, grackles and jays.

Nuts

More and more nuts are being offered in seed mixes.  These include mainly peanuts and peanut hearts.  They are usually in seed mixes, but sometimes sold separately.

• How to use it?  Seed with nuts mixed in can be used in hopper feeder, on trays or scattered on the ground.

• Who likes it?  Most birds that eat hulled sunflower seed eat nuts.  These include woodpeckers, mockingbirds, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, grosbeaks and jays.