Saratoga Springs, New York

Bird Food Profile:

Seed Blends


by Bill Thompson, III

Just like people, birds have certain food preferences.  These days, we, the bird-feeding public, already know what foods birds prefer.  At most feeders bird seed is a mainstay, and there are several kinds available.  One of the more popular types of seed to offer birds is "mixed seed," often referred to as seed blends.

Seed blends are a vital addition to any feeding program, and late summer to fall is an ideal time to start offering a seed blend at your feeders.  It will get your resident sparrows and finches "tuned-in" to your feeder, and, when your winter visitors show up, they'll follow the local birds' lead and visit your feeding station.

But not all mixes are created equal.  Beware of seed blends that contain mostly tiny round red or cream-colored seeds (milo and millet respectively) and little else.  Instead, look for seed blends with these ingredients:
Choice blend
Black-oil Sunflower Seed.  With its thin, papery shell, black-oil seed can be cracked by sparrows, juncos, and even small-billed goldfinches.  Its high oil and fat content helps birds get through cold winter nights.  Black-oil sunflower seed is the heart of any feeding program because it's accepted by the greatest variety of birds.

Sunflower chips.  Sunflower seeds without the shells!  Offering a blend with sunflower chips saves the birds from having to open the shells and saves you from having to clean up the hulls.

Millet.  White proso millet is a little, round, shiny cream-colored seed.  It's a staple for most sparrows and juncos, as well as doves and quail.

Safflower.  Medium-sized white seeds, safflower is eaten by cardinal, jays, towhees, and sparrows, but disliked by grackles.

Peanuts/Peanut Bits.  By-products of peanut processing that appeal to chickadees, titmice, jays and wrens.

Cracked Corn.  Another common ingredient of some seed blends is cracked corn, which is accepted by most birds after the sunflower and millet are gone.  Cracked corn is the cheapest and best offering for quail, pheasants, and doves, but it is irresistible to blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, and house sparrows.  If you're inundated by these less desirable birds, you may want to choose a seed blend without corn.

A Wild Birds Unlimited bird-feed specialist can help select the right seed blend for your feeding program.