Peanuts
Jays and starlings favor peanuts; they may also attract raccoons and squirrels. Make sure to keep the feeders dry and refill them frequently. Try to put only that much that a bird can eat in a day or two.
Birds that prefer the peanuts are- jays, Carolina wrens, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, etc.
Suet Cakes
This seed is high in fat and protein. It contains peanut butter and rendered fat which mixes with grains and seeds. You can also purchase pre-designed packages or suet cakes. But if you’re buying it in hot weather, you should be very careful as it may get spoiled quickly.
Some of the birds that prefer suet cakes are- doves, titmice, wrens, chickadees, woodpeckers, cardinals, nuthatches and goldfinches, etc.
Milo And Sorghum
It is popular with ground-feeding birds, and in the western states, referred to as milo. It would be best to be careful to attract starlings and cowbirds and must be scattered on the ground. Milo or sorghum attracts birds such as pheasants, doves, Curve-billed Thrashers, stellers jays, etc. There are some birds like stellers, jays, Gambel’s quails that prefer milo to sunflower.
Nyjer And Thistle
This plant is imported from overseas and is called nyjer and niger. These are tiny black needle-like seeds that are favorites of small finches like American goldfinches, lesser goldfinches, pine siskins, common redpolls and indigo buntings, etc. In North America, invasive thistle plants are the problem, so the suppliers shift from the daisy-like plant for the similar type of tiny, rich seeds. These seeds are high in protein. Birds easily break the shell to get the meat inside; the nyjer is often referred to as the ‘thistle seeds,’ though not being from the thistle family, they grow in Africa and Asia.
These are suitable for small-beaked birds such as finches, and it is mainly for the smaller birds. Nyjer is more expensive than any other seeds as it is the favorite food of most birds.
Some birds attracted to the nyjer feeders are- buntings, goldfinches, pine siskins, redpolls, etc.
Types Of Food
Some bird experts have concluded which food is the best for different birds, which will help you attract the birds you want to your feeders.
- For quail and pheasants- cracked corn, millet, milo, sunflower hearts are preferred.
- For Roadrunner- meat scraps, hamburgers, etc., are preferred.
- For hummingbirds- small insects, sugar solution and plant nectar are preferred.
- Jays prefer various food such as suet, sunflower seeds, heart cracked corn, peanuts, sugar solution, millet, etc.
- For crows, magpies, and nutcrackers-they prefer to eat suet, sunflower oil seed, heart citrus, grapes, raisins, mealworms, safflower, etc.
- Waxwings- these birds prefer berries, chopped fruits, currants, raisins, etc.
- Warblers prefer to feed on fruits, sugar solutions, chopped nutmeals, mealworms, suet, etc.
- Towhees and juncos- they prefer millet, sunflower oil seeds, peanuts, and nutmeat, etc.
- Finches and siskins- they prefer nyjer, sunflower heart, fruit, suet, etc.
- Sparrows and buntings- these birds prefer black sunflower oil, cracked corn, peanuts, millet, and milo.
Conclusion
Feeding birds can be fun, and some people may also take it as their interest or hobby. It also helps you to connect with nature and know about different foods for birds. These foods will help you attract the bird of your choice. You need to keep in mind which type of bird you would like to attract, and according to it, you need to buy or prepare the mix to put it in the feeder. Feeders also require proper care and maintenance. Therefore make sure that you clean them whenever it is required.