How to Select Wild Bird Seed

Feeding birds in the wintertime can be educational and entertaining for your family. Birds can benefit greatly from supplemental feedings from feeders, particularly in the harsh winter months. Knowing which bird seeds to offer various species of birds is important if you want to attract certain bird species to your feeder. This article should help you decide which type of feed to buy to attract some common birds in winter.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Feeders
• bird seed

1. Some birds are ground feeders, meaning they do not perch while feeding. Some of these species include cardinals, juncos and starlings. Above-ground feeding birds do perch while feeding and include nuthathces, chickadees, titmice, jays, finches, woodpeckers, sparrows and grosbeaks.

2. 
    
   Black-capped chickadee

   Attracting chickadees and titmice: black oil sunflower seed, safflower seed, peanuts

3. 
    
   American goldfinch love thistle seed.

   Attracting finches: black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower seeds, safflower seed, nyjer seed and thistle (for goldfinches), canary seed

4. 
    
   Hairy woodpecker

   Woodpeckers: suet, sunflower seeds

5. 
    
   Dark-eyed junco

   Juncos: Millet, sunflower seeds, cracked corn, peanuts

6. 
    
   Black-naped oriole

   Orioles: orange halves

7. 
    
   Nuthatch

   Nuthatches: sunflower seeds, cracked corn, peanuts

8. 
    
   Northern cardinal

   Cardinals and grosbeaks: sunflower seed, safflower seeds, suet, millet, peanuts

Tips & Warnings

• Safflower seed is distasteful to black birds and squirrels. If you have a problem with either of these species invading your bird feeder, safflower seed may be the way to go.