Is It OK to Feed Wild Birds?
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I'm new at this but my first question is for advice on NOT attracting so many sparrows and wrens? Thanks!
Hi Rosalie,
The first thing you will want to do is to stop providing food sources that your unwanted guests enjoy. You can try switching from feed that includes things like cracked corn, wheat, oats, and millet, and using one that has nyjer seed. Suet without embedded seeds is also an option. You can try implementing a halo on top of your feeders. If that does not work, you can try taking in your feeders for a period of time to see if those populations will move on from your yard, but it might also cause bird species you do want around to move on as well.
I've been having a Downy Woodpecker coming to my feeder to get black oil sunflowers. So, some woodpeckers will eat them.
I have a piece of suet eye level with my kitchen chair with 3 "squirrel proof" (yeah right) feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds also in sight line. I have downy, hairy and an occasional pileated woodpecker eating from the feeders daily.
Bought a huge bag of black oil sunflower seeds for feeding birds all-year-round.
Just wondering if I can use the same seeds to grow sunflowers as I am located in Ontario, Canada. Some said they won't grow into sunflowers as they are processed. Just want to verify as it'll be so great if it can.
Anyone knows?
Yes, the black oil sunflower seeds that you purchase for birds will grow into a nice sunflower plant. I live in Ontario also and grow them every year. Not all of the sunflowers that you grow from the bird seed will produce seeds but they still look beautiful.
Birdseed is generally untreated and raw, so you should have success growing the sunflower seeds. However, the germination rate and quality of the sunflowers is unknown, so you could end up with only a few straggly flowers. Think of it as an experiment!
I must have some picky eaters at my feeders. I tried safflower seed and none of the birds would eat it! No one eats millet either, so I don't buy mixes that contain millet. My blue jays love whole peanuts, suet nuggets and black oil sunflower seeds. I keep my suet cake feeders full for the Downeys and red bellied woodpeckers. The smaller birds; nuthatches, chickadees, junkos, and finches all love the black oil sunflowers. Cardinals come just before sunset and eat sunflower seed that I spread on the ground for them. I love watching the birds!
WHICH BIRD FEEDERS ARE WILD TURKEYS NOT INTERESTED IN. I HAVE SPENT AN AWFUL LOT OF MONEY BUT THREY JUMP ON TOP OF THE FEEDER AND JUMPP OFF SHAKING POUNDS OF SEED TO THE GROUND TO E.AT AND CLAW MY LAWN SO i HAVE TO LAY NEW SOD EACH YEAR
Your wild bird list omitted wild parrots. We have wild parrots in South Florida and I've always wondered what to put out for them.