Want to get the best birdseed for your money?

Understanding the types of birdseed - along with a few tips - can make attracting wild birds to your patio, balcony, or deck that much more enjoyable.

Quick Tip

For less mess, purchase some seeds already shelled, like sunflower hearts.

Caution

Shelled or hulled seed should not be roasted, salted, or otherwise treated -- it's harmful to the birds.

Seed Mixes

A quality seed mix will contain a higher percentage of sunflower seeds or nuts. Most retail stores offer cheaper mixes, so check out eBirdseed.com for a higher-quality, less expensive mix.

Another option for high-quality seed: visit a local store specializing in attracting wild birds.

Common Seeds

Although corn and other seeds will attract wild birds, the most common seeds used include sunflower, thistle (aka nyger or nyjer), millet, and safflower.

Sunflower

Sunflower seeds come primarily in three forms: black oil, the harder-shelled striped, and hulled.
It attracts cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, wrens, and much more.

Thistle

Also attracting a wide variety of birds, thistle seed is small and fine grained. It attracts finches, chickadees, and more, and it is wasted less in a specialized feeder.

Millet

Millet is inexpensive. It's a favorite of juncos, sparrows, and doves and is often included in wild bird mixes. However, it's also a seed that's often tossed aside and wasted by certain birds in favor more tasty kinds of seed in the mix.

Safflower

Also inexpensive, safflower seed attracts cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, and grosbeaks. It's also not favored by grackles and starlings.

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