Picking the right bird food for your backyard friends
The winter months are upon us and Americans are trying to help their colorful friends to get through this meager time by providing food in a variety of forms. The sheer variety of bird foods available on the market is staggering and can even be overwhelming at times.
Bird lovers can chose between different seeds, mixture of seeds, suet, nectar, and grits. Each form of bird food is suited for different applications and different species of birds. For most applications black oil sunflower seeds are a good option because they attract a variety of bird species. The high fat content provides an excellent energy source for many birds. The small size and thin shell allow even small birds with weaker beaks to take advantage of these seeds. Bird lovers, who want to attract a particular kind of bird to their yard, can learn about each species” seed preference and pick the appropriate seeds for their preferred backyard friends.
Other common seeds are striped sunflower seeds, nyjer (thistle), safflower, corn, millet and milo. Striped sunflower seeds are often preferred by large-billed bird species. Nyjer, also known as thistle seed, attracts the American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, and Common Red poll. Safflower on the other hand attracts cardinals and other big-billed bird species. Even though corn is not necessarily attracts songbirds, cracked corn will lure doves, quails and sparrows into the backyard. Millet is a small round grain, often used in inexpensive seed mixes. Foraging small birds like sparrows favor millet over other offered seeds.
Suet is the preferred food of many insect eating birds. The majority of the available suet on the market is made with beef kidney fat. Processed suet is also available for those who rather purchase the finished product than trying to do it themselves. This processed suet usually contains seeds, fruits and nuts and is commonly sold as a cake. Unless suet is specially processed, it is not suitable for warm locations as the fat may become rancid.
Nectar is the preferred food of hummingbirds. These amazing little birds prefer a sugary mixture which is available either as a powder that has to be mixed with water prior to use, or in a ready-to “use liquid. The “nectar” can also be homemade by making sugar water and adding food coloring to it. Extra sugar water should be stored in a refrigerator as it can get moldy. This poses a danger to the hummingbirds.
Grit is mainly a food supplement, even though some bird species will even eat it by itself. Grit aids the birds in their digestion. It mainly consists of oyster and eggs shells which are an excellent source of calcium. Grit is another food/supplement that can be made at home by crushing egg shells after boiling them. This type of food should be offered separately from the other seeds.
Regardless of which food is offered to the birds, it is important to regularly inspect the food for spoilage and signs of mold. Wet seeds have to be discarded and replaced by fresh seeds. Picking the right bird feeder for your backyard or porch can help minimize the seed waste.