Bonnie Kittler (public domain)If you’ve just started trying to attract birds to your backyard, you may be unsure about what kind of seed you should pick for your backyard feeders (or even what feeder to start with!). Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these three basic seed types: nyjer, safflower and sunflower. What kind of seed you should set out depends on what kind of feeder you have and what types of birds you want to attract. Here’s what you need to know to make your backyard more inviting for hungry birds.
1. Nyjer
Lure finches and chickadees with nyjer, a tiny black seed that is sometimes called thistle. Bonus! Bully birds tend to leave nyjer alone.
2. Safflower
Serve safflower in a hopper feeder for cardinals, grosbeaks and house finches to devour. Remember: It may take a while for the birds to get acquainted with the seed.
3. Sunflower
This food deserves the No. 1 spot in your yard! Sunflower seeds, both in the shell and out-of-shell meats appeal to finches, chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks, cardinals, jays and even some woodpeckers. Because sunflower seeds are delicious to so many species, including some large undesirable birds, they’re best served in feeders that allow only small songbirds to perch on or enter the feeding chamber.
Now that you’ve picked the seed, it’s time to pick the right feeder!
Tray feeders are flat platforms that attract a variety of seed-eaters. Look for one with holes to allow rain or snow drainage.
Tube feeders are cylinders with mesh or plastic-coated wire screens. They’re great for small birds, such as finches, chickadees and nuthatches.
Hopper feeders have an enclosed reservoir for seeds that slides food down to the open feeding tray below. Plus, seed stays dry! Woodpeckers, grosbeaks and blue jays frequent these feeders.
Becky Garrison says
I use safflower and sunflower, but have stopped buying nyger … it just sits in the feeder and I end up throwing it out. Even the house finches, goldfinches, chickadees prefer the sunflower seeds! This spring I have had the most goldfinches and house finches I have had in several years!
Pat Moore says
Me, too, Becky. I’m in SE Michigan.
Sylvia says
I had great success a few years ago with those nyjer seed socks and also long clear, plastic tubes with tiny openings for the finches. I literally had at least 50 gold finches daily for several years, but now they don’t even bother and ai end up throwing it away. They decided to go for the variety of seeds in my other feeders which has sunflowers, safflower and peanuts I also get the bags for patios, that do not have any shells on the seeds. It can all get quite costly and yes the squirrels feed on the ground and I get racoons in the evenings and they can climb anything even past the baffles and will even rock the pole to get the seed to fall down. I do get a large variety of birds, big and small but the majority that stays year round are still the cardinals, blue jays, chickadees and 3 types of finches. Yes, also grackles in spring and they have built a nest for 10 years under my eaves. and there are the usual doves, and travelling robins but they dig up worms instead.
Pamela says
I put sunflower seeds out in my feeder this spring and seen birds come the feeder that I never knew was in the area.
BJ says
Usually when the birds forgo the Nyjer, it is because it is NOT fresh. When fresh Nyjet is available the Goldfinches attack it let there is no tomorrow. Do not get your Nyjer at big box stores or hardware stores, as it does not have a very long shelf life. It should feel oily, have a sheen to it and have a pungent smell. If any of these factors are missing you have a good bag of mulch. How to tell if Nyjer is old when it is in the bag? Look at the bottom of the bag if there is dust on the bottom, especially if it is rust colored – do not buy as the meat on the inside is already dried out.
Pat says
thank you for that great tip, BJ.
Larry says
I stopped using nyjer for just the opposite reason. I’m retired on a fixed income and I couldn’t keep nyjer on hand because they eat so much of it! I use sock feeders and there’d be as many as 8-10 finches per sock. Nyjer seed is more expensive than sunflower seed. I loved watching goldfinches but I can’t afford them.
Pem says
Same here. All birds prefer sunflower seeds. Lots of gold finches, purple finches and cardinals here in SC. They all also love the no melt peanut suet.
Janet says
Do all of these birds shell their seeds? Do they eat grit like parakeets do to help break them up for digestion?
J. Green says
Chickadees take ne seed, fly to a limb and hold the sees with their feet and shell it. Then back for another. Seems lots of energy is wasted huh
J. Green says
“should have said ONE
Sylvia says
I have not heard that regular wild bird eat grit like parakeets that you have to purchase, but since some birds are ground feeders, no doubt they get some kind of grit just pecking the ground. Some bird with thinner , smaller beaks can’t crack larger seeds but the ones like cardinals can and their beaks are made to do this. Their favorite is sunflowers but they will peck and eat some smaller seeds too. I get a variety but ai do try to put feeders in different areas so the smaller birds can eat without being chased off by the larger birds.
Valerie DuBord says
whatever bird or animal that comes into the yard is welcome to feed on seeds. sometimes I throw old fruit, and produce also. someone eats it. I have lots of rabbits, and chipmunks and squirrels to.
Lynnette says
I put out Safflower and no one touched it. Nyer also does not get eaten much. I tossed it and will no longer buy it. Everyone prefers sunflowers seeds and next suet. We ONLY put out sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts for the bluejays and red bellies. And we also do one tube feeder with a mix and found that Pennington makes the best mix that birds will eat instead of pick through.
Tracy says
Same here — NOBODY eats safflower at my house. We mostly do black oil sunflower seed, though my husband insists on some millet for his favorite winter friends, the juncos.
Pat says
You have to give SAFflower maybe 2 weeks to work. My birds almost all like it, especially the Cards. So, I keep at least one feeder with Safflower only.
Papa says
Another benefit of the safflower seed is that squirrels won’t touch it. I had to quit using sunflower because the squirrels devoured it all. The don’t share!
Lisa says
Black squirrels seem to have acquired a taste for safflower in my neck of the woods (Ontario, Canada) also appears they have told several friends as well. Chipmunk also a big fan 🙁
Pat Moore says
Papa, I just wish safflower didn’t cost more than sunflower!
Margaret Baker says
I feed wild birds to, but please careful where you put your feeders, like close to bushes or trees. Hawks love to hang around to get unsuspecting birds.
Judy Fogelsonger says
Finally started putting the nyger in the seed socks with great success. Currently grackles are devowering the shelled sunflower seeds…….just bought them corn…….will see what they do………………
Jack Kovacs says
I had a plastic tube feeder a couple of years ago and the squirrels chewed the feeding holes bigger and out poured all the bird seed.
Next one I bought had a “cage” around it so only smaller birds could dine. Also, using a shepherd’s crook to hold my feeders, I have a baffle below the feeders to discourage squirrels; they can get enough from seeds falling on the ground. Also remember that squirrels can leap about 6-8 feet horizontally, and quite high from the ground too.
Pat says
Yup!
SUE SCHUMACHER says
This guy at a store, which I will not name, guaranteed me that birds absolutely LOVE safflower seeds. Had them out all winter and they never got eaten. So, instead of putting a variety of seeds in my various feeders, I only put the safflower seeds. They STILL didn’t get eaten, not even being the ONLY food out there. So, I decided to keep putting it out and finally, after a year, birds started eating them. I have a large population of woodpeckers, so I’m going after their taste buds now, and they LOVE my seed cake and in the morning, I always see at least 1 or 2 woodpeckers!`
Mandy says
My safflower seeds barely last a day in my feeders. Thankfully it keeps the starlings and red-wings away because they don’t care for those but my finches LOVE them.
Lisa says
Lucky you! The starlings and red-wings love it where I am!
Claire says
I use Pennington mixed seed & my birds love it, during winter months, I add more sunflower seed; they’re not fond of safflower seeds tho. I feed actual suet from grocery store year round; my woodpeckers LOVE it and won’t touch the ‘pre-made-square’ packages !
Rowland Gregory says
” SQUIRRELS ARE OUR
MAJOR PROBLEM HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS “!
Darlene Barnes says
When I lived in the mountains my husband made me a squirrel feeder for the gray tree squirrels that was bird proof and our bird feeders were mostly squireel proof. The squirrel feeder was made so only the weight of the squirre would open it. A bird was too light.
Darlene Barnes says
I live in a rural area in Southern California. Goldfinches are one of the last birds to breed. I put the nijer out in summer and I can’t keep the feeders full. They seem to keep it cleaned out consistenly
Amy says
I had a Goldfinch a day or so ago and they love Thistle. Have to fill those feeders. Safflower is enjoyed by Cardinals and as people have mentioned – not squirrels. I gave up Sunflower seeds a year ago and have not had a skunk in my yard since. (Knock on wood). I use a bag mix purchased at Menard’s or Ace Hardware to feed the Sparrows so they stay away from the Thistle and Safflower! I also put out suets which gets me a Woodpecker or two. Blue Jays come by the peanut in the shell feeder but I have to keep the squirrels off of that…
Ginny says
I have a lot of cardinals right now & they eat the safflower & sunflowers & a peanut now & then. It snowed 3 in here tonight & they were enjoying flying around in it.
Karen says
I only put out Thistle seed in feeders and socks; have plenty of gold finches and other small birds. Lots fall on the ground for Juncos and other birds. Buy my Thistle at Ace Hardware and it must be fresh enough— the birds eat a ton of it.
Question : If I put out Sunflower seed, will the birds abandon the Thistle and go to waste?
Debba says
The black sunflower seeds (in the shell) seem to be the favorite of the birds in my area (mostly chickadees and cardinals). Unfortunately, the squirrels really love it too. I’ve tried so-called “squirrel-proof” feeders, moving the feeder to places where the squirrels can’t climb, to no avail. They launch themselves through the air onto the feeder and empty it out onto the ground. Sigh. Help!
Rose says
We feed sunflower hearts and thistle, and have lots of birds: goldfinches, mockers, cardinals, juncos, and of course, spatsies, but we have to take in at night or the deer will visit. Not so much the nyger, but the regular feeder gets all slobbery and yucky if we forget.