Sunflower seeds are a popular bird food that attract many common backyard birds. The high fat and protein content of sunflower seeds make them an excellent source of energy and nutrients for birds. Within just a few days of filling your bird feeders with sunflower seeds, you’ll start to see a flock of feathered friends visiting your yard.
Which birds eat black oil sunflower seeds?
Black oil sunflower seeds are the most popular type of sunflower seeds for bird feeders. Their thin shells make them easy for birds to crack open and eat. Many common feeder birds are attracted to black oil sunflower seeds, including:
- Chickadees
- Nuthatches
- Cardinals
- Finches
- Sparrows
- Mourning doves
- Woodpeckers
- Blue jays
- Titmouse
Chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, sparrows, mourning doves and finches are especially fond of black oil sunflower seeds. These small birds can easily perch on feeders and rapidly crack open sunflower seed shells with their beaks. Watching a busy flock of chickadees or finches at a feeder filled with sunflower seeds is a delightful sight!
Do blue jays like sunflower seeds?
Blue jays are one of the most common visitors to sunflower seed feeders. Their large size and powerful beaks allow them to easily crack open sunflower seed shells. Blue jays will carry off several seeds at a time from platform feeders to crack later. They are such frequent visitors that some people install separate sunflower seed feeders just for the blue jays!
What other birds like sunflower seeds?
In addition to the birds listed above, many other backyard birds will feed from sunflower seed feeders, including:
- Tufted titmouse
- Red-bellied woodpecker
- Downy woodpecker
- Hairy woodpecker
- Northern flicker
- Rose-breasted grosbeak
- Eastern bluebird
- American goldfinch
Larger birds like grosbeaks, woodpeckers and bluebirds will often feed on sunflower seeds from platform or hopper-style feeders. Rosellas and lorikeets are also attracted to sunflower seeds in parts of Australia.
What seeds do cardinals prefer?
Cardinals are frequent visitors to most backyard bird feeders. They have strong, chunky beaks that can crack hard seeds. Some of their favorite seeds include:
- Sunflower seeds – Cardinals love black oil sunflower seeds. This is one of the top seeds to attract cardinals.
- Safflower seeds – Cardinals are one of the few backyard birds that eat safflower seeds.
- Peanuts – Shelled, unsalted peanuts are beloved by cardinals.
- Nyjer seeds – Cardinals will sometimes feed on nyjer seeds in mesh feeders.
- Cracked corn – Cracked corn is a lower-cost seed cardinal eat at ground feeders.
Offering a mix that contains several of these seeds is your best bet for satisfying cardinals at your feeders.
Do woodpeckers eat black oil sunflower seeds?
Woodpeckers are frequent visitors to tube-style feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds. Species like downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers and northern flickers will regularly feed on these nutritious seeds. The small size of black oil sunflower seeds allows woodpeckers to easily extract the seeds from feeder ports.
Woodpeckers also sometimes cling to mesh feeders to feed. Try filling a wire mesh feeder with sunflower seeds to attract woodpeckers. Platform feeders filled with sunflower seeds will also accommodate woodpeckers.
What kind of birds eat safflower seeds?
Safflower seeds have tough shells that are difficult for small birds to crack open. Birds with thicker, stronger beaks can access the nutritious kernels inside. Some birds that enjoy safflower seeds include:
- Cardinals
- Grosbeaks
- Nuthatches
- Chickadees
- Finches
- Titmouse
- Woodpeckers
- Jays
- Mockingbirds
- Thrashers
Try offering safflower seeds in feeders with small ports and perches. This makes it harder for birds like grackles and starlings to access the seeds while still accommodating smaller birds. Squirrels also do not like safflower seeds.
Do mourning doves eat black oil sunflower seeds?
Mourning doves are a common sight at platform bird feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds. Their slender pointed beaks easily crack open sunflower seed shells. Mourning doves will usually eat enough to fill their bellies, then fly off to digest while waiting their turn to return.
Mourning doves are ground feeders, so platform or hopper feeders are ideal for attracting them. Scattering sunflower seeds on the ground will also appeal to these birds. Try mixing in some cracked corn as an affordable addition.
What kind of bird seed do finches eat?
Finches have very specialized beaks adapted for cracking open certain types of seeds. Some seeds finches love include:
- Nyjer seeds – Finches adore tiny nyjer seeds. Use mesh feeders to serve them.
- Sunflower seeds – Black oil sunflower seeds attract finches.
- Safflower seeds – House finches enjoy safflower seeds.
- Niger seeds – A favorite of goldfinches and siskins.
- Thistle seed – appeals to goldfinches and redpolls.
Avoid mixes with lots of fillers like milo, wheat or oats that finches won’t eat. Stick to nyjer or fine sunflower seeds for the best results attracting finches.
What birds eat nyjer seed?
Nyjer seed, also called thistle seed, is loved by finches and pine siskins. Some types of birds attracted to nyjer seed include:
- American goldfinch
- House finch
- Purple finch
- Pine siskin
- Eurasian siskin
- Redpoll
- Common redpoll
- Hoary redpoll
The tiny size of nyjer seeds allows only smaller beaked birds like finches to eat them. Use specialized nyjer seed feeders with small mesh openings that let seeds out a few at a time. Nyjer seed spoils rapidly when exposed to heat and humidity.
Do chickadees eat sunflower seeds?
Black-capped chickadees, Carolina chickadees and other birds in the chickadee family are common visitors to feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds. Chickadees will readily excavate sunflower seed kernels from feeder ports or platform feeders.
Chickadees constantly store seeds and other food items in hundreds of hiding spots for later recovery. They can make dozens of trips to feeders every day, carrying off one seed at a time back to their stash. Having a feeder with sunflower seeds is an easy way to attract and observe these busy birds!
What kind of bird seed attracts the most birds?
If your goal is to attract the greatest variety of birds, use a bird seed mix that contains several different types of seeds:
- Black oil sunflower seeds
- Nyjer or thistle seeds
- Safflower seeds
- Millet
- Cracked corn
This provides nutritious seeds that chickadees, woodpeckers, jays, cardinals, finches and other species like to eat. Avoid cheap “wild bird seed” loaded with filler grains like wheat, milo and oats that birds won’t eat.
Also offer suet blocks or balls to attract insect-eating birds like woodpeckers, nuthatches and wrens. Provide a variety of feeder styles (like hopper, tube and platform feeders) as different birds prefer different types. Finally, add a birdbath nearby so birds can drink and bathe while visiting your yard.
Conclusion
Sunflower seeds are clearly a favorite food for many common feeder birds like chickadees, finches, cardinals, blue jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches and doves. Black oil sunflower seeds attract the widest range of birds because of their thin, easy-to-crack shells. Offering sunflower seeds in hopper, tube or platform feeders will allow many species to enjoy this nutritious, energy-packed food.
Pair sunflower seeds with other goodies like nyjer seed, peanuts, safflower, suet and cracked corn to attract an even wider diversity of birds. Watching colorful songbirds like cardinals, goldfinches and woodpeckers feeding on sunflower seeds in your yard provides delightful entertainment for nature lovers!