Feeding wild birds - Which bird seed do you choose?

So you're interested in feeding wild birds. Do you know which wild bird seed to put in your feeders?  In some ways birds are just like people.  Some will eat anything and some are fussy.  Some won't accept your offerings no matter what you put out.  So the first step in feeding wild birds is to decide which birds you want to attract, and then find the appropriate food for them.

Grains and seeds provide fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and they go over well.  Mix your own or buy a commercial wild bird seed mix.  Add seeds from flowers in your garden if you choose.  Sunflower seeds are a favourite with many birds, so make sure some are included in the mix. The seed that spills out of the feeder will be picked up by the ground feeding birds.  Other choices for wild birds are thistle seed which will attract goldfinches and white millet seed which is enjoyed by the small seed eaters.  Cracked corn will distract ground feeding birds from the more expensive bird seed being served overhead.

Birds also enjoy fruit.  Apples, pears, bananas, grapes, oranges and dried fruits can all be part of a birds diet and provide an energy source.  Instead of trashing your overripe fruit, feed it to the birds!  Consider feeding them nuts as well.  Smaller birds prefer them chopped, but larger birds can open the shells themselves.   

To provide fruit and nuts, visit your local grocer.  To purchase wild bird seed, consider the products offered by the following online vendors.

Yardiac.com

Selecting bird seed for feeding wild birds