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• about humming birds and how to attract them
• adding a bird feeder to your garden
• a garden to attract humming birds
• attracting and caring for humming birds
• attracting birds to a tropical garden
• attracting birds with flowers
• attracting wild birds
• beyond bird seed
• bird feeder basics
• bird feeding in the fall
• bird house buying tips
• birds and what to feed them
• bird watching tips
• build a squirrel proof bird feeder
• build your own humming bird feeder
• create a humming bird paradise
• create wild bird habitat with bird feeder
• create your own humming bird nectar
• creating a wildlife garden
• feeding hummingbirds
• feeding the humming birds
• for the birds
• home made bird feeders
• home made humming bird nectar
• how to attract humming birds
• how to make interesting can feeders for birds
• hummingbirds
• hummingbirds jewels of the air
• making your own bird feeder
• provide water for birds in winter
• seeds to attract birds
• setting out a feast for your wild birds
• types of bird feeders
• why the squirrel kept winning
• wildlife gardener
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Seeds To Attract Birds
Commercial bird seed comes in a variety of mixtures. Cheaper mixtures will contain large amounts of buckwheat, rice, oats, milo, flax, rape seed, cracked corn and canary seed.
What the birds really want to eat is black oil sunflower seeds. To avoid the mess of sunflower hulls, may people decide to spend a bit more and buy the hulled sunflower seeds containing only the "hearts" or "chips" of the sunflower.
If you buy a mixture of seeds, you may find that birds scatter most of the seeds on the ground, trying to get at the sunflower seeds. It is better to place these mixtures on a flat platform feeder, rather than in a hopper type feeder. There will be less waste and fewer seeds will wind up on the ground. Seeds on the ground will attract doves and some birds, but they will also attract mice, raccoons and other critters you may not want at your feeder.
Niger seed is a favorite food of Goldfinches. It resembles small grains of wild rice and has a high fat and protein content. Niger is also known as thistle. Many people think they will be growing thistle weeds in their yard if they offer this seed. In fact, niger is not a thistle at all. It's the seed of the niger plant native to Ethiopia. Niger seed sold as birdseed is heated to prevent it from germinating. Tube type feeders with small openings are used as Niger or "Thistle" feeders.
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