When it comes to feeding songbirds, the bird seed you choose can make all the difference in attracting these beautiful creatures to your backyard. Songbirds like cardinals, chickadees, finches, and sparrows have unique food preferences depending on the species. Choosing a bird seed blend that contains their favorite foods will increase visits to your feeders. But with so many options on the market, how do you know which bird seed will entice songbirds to stop by? We’ll explore the most popular types of bird seed that songbirds love and provide tips on creating your own custom blend.
Why Do Specific Bird Seeds Attract Different Bird Species?
Songbirds have adapted specialized beaks and feeding behaviors based on the foods naturally available in their native habitats. For example, heavy-billed finches can crack tough seeds while slender-billed birds like goldfinches prefer tiny Nyjer seeds. Offering bird seed that matches a species’ preference gives them an easily accessible food source. This encourages them to frequent your yard. Songbirds also have differing nutritional requirements during breeding and migration seasons. Providing their favored foods helps meet the unique needs of each species throughout the year.
The 5 Most Popular Bird Seeds for Songbirds
Here are the top varieties of bird seed that will attract an assortment of songbirds to your backyard feeders:
#1 Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Black oil sunflower seeds are the number one choice to attract the greatest variety of songbirds. Their thin shells and high oil content make them a high-energy food source perfect for small songbirds. Chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, goldfinches, and house finches are just a few species that enjoy them. Offer black oil sunflower seeds in feeders with smaller perches to discourage larger birds like grackles and jays from taking over.
#2 Nyjer Seeds
Tiny, oil-rich Nyjer seeds appeal to dainty finches with narrow beaks like American goldfinches, pine siskins, and redpolls. Avoid mixes with filler seeds that will get wasted. Go for Nyjer-only feeders with small mesh openings sized just right for finch feeding. Keep them filled through cold months when finch populations peak.
#3 Safflower Seeds
Cardinals, chickadees, sparrows, mourning doves and some woodpecker species are drawn to nutritious white safflower seeds. Safflower is a less desirable food source for house sparrows, starlings and squirrels who tend to pass it up. Offer safflower in feeders with larger perches to give cardinals and other bigger songbirds easy access.
#4 Cracked Corn
Ground or cracked corn is favored by ground-feeding birds like mourning doves, juncos, towhees and sparrows. Pour it directly on a ground feeding tray or mix with other seeds in a platform feeder. Avoid whole dried corn kernels too large for small beaks. Fine cracked corn gives the best results for drawing in ground-feeding songbirds.
#5 Peanuts
Chopped peanuts attract certain songbirds like chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers. Sparrows and jays will feed on them too. Use peanuts sparingly in feeders with large perches and slots. Offer them inside mesh bags or cylinders with small openings to limit access by squirrels.
Nutritional Needs of Songbirds
In addition to seeds, offering songbirds suet, nuts, fruits and berries provides balanced nutrition. Here are some key dietary components to provide at your backyard bird cafe:
- Protein – Insect and seed-eating birds thrive on high-protein foods like suet, mealworms, and peanuts.
- Fat – Black oil sunflower seeds, suet, and Nyjer seeds offer the fat content songbirds need, especially in winter.
- Fiber – Fruit slices, berries, cracked corn, oats, and millet supply fiber for digestion.
- Carbohydrates – Dried fruit, breadcrumbs, oats, and cereals give songbirds an energy boost.
- Calcium – Crushed eggshells and oyster grit provide calcium for bone health during breeding season.
- Water – A fresh, clean water source provides songbirds with needed hydration.
Shopping for Bird Seed
When browsing bird food options, keep these shopping tips in mind:
- Look for variety – Blends with black oil sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn, safflower, peanuts, and Nyjer attract the most species.
- Avoid filler seeds – Cheaper mixes bulk up with flax, milo and wheat seeds most birds won’t eat.
- Check the seed count – The higher the seed count per pound, the less filler a mix contains.
- Buy in bulk when possible – Large bags are more economical than smaller bags.
- Store properly – Keep seed dry and bug-free in covered buckets or rodent-proof containers.
- Avoid waste – Offer smaller amounts more often to reduce spoilage.
Creating Your Own Custom Blend
Tailoring your own unique mix lets you cater to the exact songbird species in your yard. Here are some tips for creating a custom blend:
- Buy single seed varieties separately so you can control the amounts.
- Choose 2-3 favorite seeds of the species you want to attract.
- Add smaller amounts of several other seeds for variety.
- Experiment with ratios starting with 50% black oil sunflower.
- Mix it up in 5-10 pound batches and adjust if birds don’t seem interested.
- Consider your local songbird population and seasonal needs.
Use this easy recipe as a base then tweak to perfection:
Custom Songbird Seed Mix
Seed | Ratio |
---|---|
Black Oil Sunflower Seed | 50% |
Nyjer Seed | 20% |
Safflower Seed | 15% |
Cracked Corn | 10% |
Millet | 5% |
Conclusion
Attracting a diversity of songbirds to your yard starts with offering the bird seed they love. Cater to their unique food preferences by providing black oil sunflower seeds, Nyjer, safflower, cracked corn, peanuts and other nutritious varieties. Songbirds will reward you with amazing sights and sounds when you serve up their favorite birdseed buffet.