Feeding birds in your backyard can be fun and rewarding. Songbirds will add color, life and vibrancy to your garden. Attracting and retaining songbirds, however, may depend on many factors, including the type and quality of seed that you specify.
the most popular seed is black-oil sunflower, which was accepted by the greatest variety of birds. Black-oil sunflower oil-rich foods is a good source of energy. Its thin shell makes it easy to open, even for small birds. This seed is especially popular cardinals, chickadees, evening grosbeaks and purple finches, but is also part of the diet of most other songbirds. You can not go wrong with hanging tube or hopper style feeder full of black oil sunflower.
Blended Mixes should also be part of garden feeding program. Good mix will include a black-oil sunflower, along with other ingredients that will provide variety and nutrition. mix you choose will depend on the birds you want to attract. For example, mixtures containing millet will attract Juncos, sparrows and mourning doves. Blue Jays favor of peanuts and sunflower, striped, and cardinals like safflower. Some mixtures are adjusted seasonally to provide birds with food they require at different times of the year. Retailers who specialize in wild bird feeding will be able to help you choose the combination that is right for you.
If you are interested in attracting gold finches finches and other seed nyger then it should be at the top of your list. Nyger a small seed that is rich in oil. Alternatively, you can opt for a wild finch mix, containing nyger, red millet and other seeds preferred by finches. This is a cost effective alternative to pure nyger. For nyger and wild finch seed mix, you will require a tube style feeder with tiny feeding ports.
When it comes to choosing birdseed, it is wise to keep in mind that not all brands of birdseed are the same. Not only you should know that the seeds prefer different kinds of birds, you must be aware that the quality birdseed can vary greatly between different brands. the old maxim "you get what you pay for" is true even for birdseed.
selection of top quality birdseed is not hard when you know what to look for. Here are some basics:
Look for the birdseed that appears fresh. The ingredients are fresher, the more likely that all food will be eaten and not wasted. Store seeds in a tight-lidded containers to preserve freshness.
Look for seed that is clean and dust free. Powder that is created during processing adds weight to the bag, you pay for, but the birds will not eat. Be careful opaque packaging which does not allow you to view all the seeds.
Pay attention to the ingredients. Avoid mixtures that contain wheat, Milo (sorghum) and other "fillers" that the birds will not eat. Look for the sunflower, nuts, corn, fruit and millets to attract the most birds.
discount brands tend to have sunflower seeds that are immature. Good quality mix of the sunflower seeds with a higher density of grain, and thus more food for birds. Avoid sunflower seeds that appear flat, which is a sign of immaturity.
Avoid buying birds fed on theappearance of -likedust grains . It is a sign of mold. Once contaminated, the mold will spread rapidly through the bag of seeds. No birds will eat moldy seed.
and do not waste your money on bird seed, which is designed to better deter squirrels.The squirrel proof mixes contain seeds that are carefully selected, supposedly, the squirrels do not like. However, they also limit the number of birds you attract. Other mixes are laced with deterrence, such as red pepper. These are potentially dangerous for the squirrels and birds.
If you have problems with squirrels, it is better to install an effective squirrel proof bird feeder, which will allow you to continue using the high quality birdseed mix
Finally, after they attract birds to your yard, keep them coming back to ensure they are clean and fresh food supplies. Inspect and clean your feeder on a regular basis and dispose of any seed that has gone moldy. Providing birds with good quality seeds in a well maintained feeder will enjoy a pleasant week watching the birds in your backyard.
