What to feed Garden Birds
How to attract a variety of Birds to our Gardens
Bird Seed Mix
Seed mixes vary from Supplier to Supplier. The most common seeds are Sunflower Hearts, Wheat, small black Rape, Millet, Sweetcorn and Maize.
Ingredients vary on the price you pay
Ideal Feed for.. House Sparrows, Dunnocks, all Tits, Finches
Peanuts
Peanuts are very high on Protein and Oil.
Prices can vary a lot depending on grade and from where they came. Being so popular with the birds below, it pays to buy a large quantity at a time. You'll save £'s !
Ideal Feed for.. All the Tit family, Greenfinches, Sparrows, Dunnocks and the ever welcomed Great Spotted Woodpecker
Fat Balls
You can either buy these or quite easily make your own. Most contain, bits of seed, crushed nuts and sometimes dried fruit. Always take the plastic wrapping off
Ideal feed for.. All the tit family (!!), Finches, Sparrows & Dunnocks. Robins and Blackbirds will be attracted by the Cake version which they can get to easier.
Nyjer Seed
Also often called Niger and Nyger. There seems some confusion, so I'm going on the RSPB spelling!
Nyjer seed is more specialized than most seeds. Most seeds are from Africa or Asia, but any spilt seeds will produce Thistle!
Ideal feed for.. Goldfinches and Sisken
Sunflower Seeds
You can either use Black (whole) Seeds or just the hearts. They are extreme high energy seeds.
The hearts are basically just the insides which for some birds, it will be easier to eat them.
Ideal feed.. Almost all birds, the hearts obviously suiting smaller less strong birds which can't break the shell
Mealworms
You buy these either fresh or dried. Some people actually breed them in places such as compost heaps etc (see chickens plucking them out given half the chance!).
Most use them more as a treat and spread them on a Bird Table or in a saucer.
Ideal feed for.. Robins, Starlings, Blackbirds and other more insect eating birds
Suet Cakes
Suet Cakes come in various forms; like to the photo, embedded into a Coconut Shell or in special cages and made to measure.
You may like to try making them yourself .
Ideal feed for.. Robins, Starlings, Blackbirds, Wrens, Dunnocks & almost any Tit