What birdfoods do garden birds really like best? (1 Viewer)

[Peewit]

After the thread on quality of bird foodstuffs, I thought I would create this one for interest and see what foodstuffs our birds really prefer.

Of course it may vary, depending on what area we live in.

It is true that birds will let you know what they like. They turn their bills up and leave it to waste, (like they do with light coloured cheese over orange cheese and green grapes over black grapes)

I have always tended to buy all bird seeds separately and mix them myself. The basic mixed seeds (cheapest) seems to be the least liked of all, (all of the sunflower seeds are eaten and the rest left to waste). There is always a lot of waste left on the floor by the birds.

With the sunflowers seeds both black and stripy, I have bought them loose in weighed plastic bags from Pet Stores. They are loved by the finches a lot.

I understand that the stripy sunflower seeds have harder shells (than the black sunflowers) - so that is why they are cheaper. The birds still love them just as much as black sunflower seeds.

The sunflower hearts are a big hit with all birds including the 'blackies'. So that is 100 per cent to that type of food stuff.

Other foods are always a success such as peanuts. One thing I have noticed here that peanuts with light skin go down better, than ones with redder skins

Niger seeds, and Meal worms (freeze dried are good too). No problems with these foods

The blue tit food is a good buy, as it is full of mixed grain and it is hovered up by the smaller birds like the tit family. The Robin mix is not such a big hit and left on the floor so to speak.

The coconuts (and fatballs) are loved by everything including the GS Woodpeckers Again I have noticed that the fruity flavoured ones go down less well than the plain ones

Also the same applies to the fat balls. Plain is best. Flavourings in bird food are not a great hit at all!

I will be interested in others views here

Anyway enough of my observations now. :cat:

 

[Peewit]

Of course people have their own ideas what birds like best. Yes the birds will let us know what is what!

Home made food has always been of interest too.

What really attracts birds through our own home made recipes? :t:

 

[N.Grant]

I mix my wild bird seeds with cheap porridge oats, they love it, also fat balls, the plain ones will sit there till they turned black, but the ones with bird seed rarely lasts more than two days

 

[Peewit]

I mix my wild bird seeds with cheap porridge oats, they love it, also fat balls, the plain ones will sit there till they turned black, but the ones with bird seed rarely lasts more than two days

hi there

I have never thought of cheap porridge oats at all so that is one to try - good one :t:

Like you, I have noticed that what the fat balls have added makes a huge difference in how quickly they are eaten. The ones with berries take the longest to be eaten so far (from my experience)

What do you think of the Giant round Fatballs? They are always a plain flavour.
I do not know what container to put them in. Has a Giant fatball container been invented, or do is it a question of breaking them up, and mixing contents with other seeds.

The green neting (fatballs are sold as) is lethal for birds to get themselves caught up in, so I take this packaging off now.

Any other ideas here on fatballs, to improve services to our feathered friends.

 

[Mary]

I've found the berry suet pellets go down a treat - (the birds love them as well!)

 

[Peewit]

I've found the berry suet pellets go down a treat - (the birds love them as well!)

Mary

Berry suet pellets - can you buy them as a separate food? If so what what is the product called?

N Grant: Just occured to me. Silly question here, would you need to cook the porridge oats first? I realise that they expand! So is that how you do it!

 

[Marmot]

I use only Sunflower hearts as "seed type" food as any bits dropped are normally cleared up by the ground feeders and every type of bird can eat them.

Fat balls I am getting through them like there is no tomorrow [approx 50 a week], thankfully I get them off ADH (BF member) who has a shop which supplies them at discounted rates.

I also put out sultanas and cheerio breakfast food (Sparrows love cheerios) and at the moment the BT,GT, Sparrows and Starlings are eaten apples direct from the trees in the garden.

 

[kittykat23uk]

Peanuts are not liked in my garden at all. Niger is a hit with the goldfinches, Black sunflower seed and a cheap mix with added sunflower hearts seems to suit the sparrows, starlings and finches. A couple of fat balls go out for the tits. Red Leicester was a hit with the starlings; "basics" cheddar and feta less so. Blueberries did not prove to be popular either.

 

[Peewit]

I use only Sunflower hearts as "seed type" food as any bits dropped are normally cleared up by the ground feeders and every type of bird can eat them.

Fat balls I am getting through them like there is no tomorrow [approx 50 a week], thankfully I get them off ADH (BF member) who has a shop which supplies them at discounted rates.

I also put out sultanas and cheerio breakfast food (Sparrows love cheerios) and at the moment the BT,GT, Sparrows and Starlings are eaten apples direct from the trees in the garden.

Hi Marmot

Sunflower seeds are a great hit with all birds and there is not mess at all. :t:

How do you present your fatballs. Do you use the wire container for them or do you crumble them into other food?

It is good to have contacts with others who deal with birdfoods as that helps no end.

Cheerios never heard of Sparrows liking them. A good suggestion too :t:

Regards
Kathy

Peanuts are not liked in my garden at all. Niger is a hit with the goldfinches, Black sunflower seed and a cheap mix with added sunflower hearts seems to suit the sparrows, starlings and finches. A couple of fat balls go out for the tits. Red Leicester was a hit with the starlings; "basics" cheddar and feta less so. Blueberries did not prove to be popular either.

Hi Kittykat

Peanuts not liked - that is unusual. GS woodpeckers love them. The starlings love them here, and happily sit on the Peanut feeders for quite a while (the squirrel proof feeders at that)

Niger and Goldies go well together. I have seen Greenies and Chaffies using the Niger feeders in the same way. :t:

Red Leicester is a cheese that all birds love. Blackies are mad about it. I wonder why. Is it to do with the colour or the taste.

 

[NoSpringChicken]

The birds near me won't touch the black Sunflower seeds. They pick them out and flick they straight onto the ground in disgust but they like the rest of the seed mix.

They don't seem very bright though. We have two feeders with identical seed in each, which are a few metres apart. The birds all queue up for one feeder, squabbling to get on, while the other one stands empty. A little while later they are all fighting over the other feeder.

All the birds love fat balls – I guess they are not into all this healthy eating lark. My Sparrows have got no class!

Ron

 

[Marmot]

Hi Marmot
...................How do you present your fatballs. Do you use the wire container for them or do you crumble them into other food? .....................

I have 2 of the open wire containers that you can fit 4 balls into and I always take them out of the bags. If I happen to get any that are broken I just put them on the floor as a treat for the blackbirds etc.

 

[The Raptor]

Sunflower Hearts are definitely the favourite of all the birds in my garden, even Hedgehogs, Foxes, Squirrels & Slugs love them. Goldfinches love the niger seed & the fatballs are being eaten like no tomorrow. I too always put the fatballs in a wire container & take them out of their mesh nets.

ROD.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Sunflower Hearts go down so well with all the birds here.

Fatballs always go down quicker in warm weather as they soften a little and are easier to gobble up.Much harder work for the birds on a freezing day.I would never be without them, bought or home made and like Marmot i take them from the bags and pop into feeders.I do tend to sprinkle one too which as Marmot says is an extra treat for the Blackbirds.

Sunflower seeds are too hard for a lot of birds but the Finch family love them.Crushed nuts always loved by lots of birds (not whole)

Pears a big yes yes as well as dried porridge oats and other titbits.

I have just bought a 20 kg of no grow seed after a lot of checking out as i needed to make sure it was safe.The birds adore it and i am a happy bunny.Why? because no weeds, so me and the birds are thrilled.

Yes Peewit,you can buy feeders for large fat balls no problem.:t:

 

[Mary]

Hi Kathy
The pellets are made by Gardman. I think they come in 2 sizes, the large one being 1kg for about £3.99. There is also an insect variety and no waste like some of the fat balls leave, where unwanted seed is distributed around the garden to germinate next year! Many pet shops/ garden centres stock Gardman products these days. I think RSPB also do pellets now, but don't know the price to compare.

 

[Peewit]

Interesting answers here. Black Sunflowers are less liked than I thought, as the finches can only manage them.

Ron: Your birds sound strange as they seem to be comparing feeders and cannot make up their minds which is the better option for them.

Also the fact that they are anti-black sunflower seed - so you end up with Sunflowers plants in your garden after germination starts. :eek!:
I have had that happen in my garden

Marmot: Good idea for Blackies, as the fatballs break easily. Yes, and those mesh bags are lethal too, and are better removed all together.

Rod: Ditto

Mary E: Good idea to break up peanuts, never thought of that one for the ground feeding birds!

Mary: Thank for your information. It is very much appreciated and I will search for the pellets next shopping trip out.

Need to get sorted with cheaper options with bulk buying here though. It is cheaper at the end of the day. :t:

 

[Peewit]

Another question here which interests me about feeding birds

I understand that Blackbirds like Sultanas/Raisins. Would I need to soak them first, as they will swell up with moisture, so they may cause feeding problems, or do you feed them as a natural product. :-O

Love to know as it is something I would like to try out. I have Juv blackies at the moment, and they will be great candidates to try to feed.

Love to hear your comments about this? :-O

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Peewit,

I know lots of people soak raisins and sultanas but I don't with all the rain we have been having they soon get wet anyway and in fact if swimming in water they tend to leave them. I am not always here to pour the water off.

I have a brain damaged male Blackbird (daft like me) he stabs the first one as if it is an alien and jumps a foot in the air in case it bites back and then eats them with gusto before any other birds arrive. As you know I am bats on birds and sit here all day when at home watching them whilst on the PC,they are so amusing and like humans all act differently to new things and all have individual tastes and preferences. I just buy the cheapest and put a few in a coffee lid, no fancy dishes here I recycle/reuse everything.

I buy raisins as they find them easier to eat, if that makes sense. Try a few and if you can place them where you can see them easily, sit and watch, enjoy the fun.

I have lots of young Sparrows and they are hilarious dipping their heads in the bath and it is a big event when they all get in and have a spash about. I use an old lid off a water barrel as it is just the right depth for them.

Sorry I could ramble for ever about the birds who needs tv when I have so much action outside under the window, mostly happy unlike tv and the news.

Good luck and let us know how you get onl

Ann
Batty about birds

 

[The Raptor]

Hi Peewit,

I know lots of people soak raisins and sultanas but I don't with all the rain we have been having they soon get wet anyway and in fact if swimming in water they tend to leave them. I am not always here to pour the water off.

I have a brain damaged male Blackbird (daft like me) he stabs the first one as if it is an alien and jumps a foot in the air in case it bites back and then eats them with gusto before any other birds arrive. As you know I am bats on birds and sit here all day when at home watching them whilst on the PC,they are so amusing and like humans all act differently to new things and all have individual tastes and preferences. I just buy the cheapest and put a few in a coffee lid, no fancy dishes here I recycle/reuse everything.

I buy raisins as they find them easier to eat, if that makes sense. Try a few and if you can place them where you can see them easily, sit and watch, enjoy the fun.

I have lots of young Sparrows and they are hilarious dipping their heads in the bath and it is a big event when they all get in and have a spash about. I use an old lid off a water barrel as it is just the right depth for them.

Sorry I could ramble for ever about the birds who needs tv when I have so much action outside under the window, mostly happy unlike tv and the news.

Good luck and let us know how you get onl

Ann
Batty about birds

Well said Ann, like yourself the birds in my garden give me so much pleasure. I too feed the Blackbirds with Sultanas or Raisins, sadly however my lovely male Blackbird (Blackie) that has been so tame & friendly as disappeared after being around for a number of years, he even used to come into our kitchen if the door was open looking for his treats. It is now three months since I have seen him, another younger male has taken over, but not seen him for awhile now. Have up to 60 Sparrows visiting my garden & like yourself love watching them bathing, birds make my day.

ROD.

 

[A CHAPLIN]

Hi Rod,

I am sorry to hear about your "Blackie" it is so sad to lose a special bird. I had a male Blackbird here for years I called him "his Lordship" he was a real gent and no male of any species got in my garden while he was around. I only wish digi cameras had been around then as I have no photo of him.

Daft, I know but I call Sparrows "Charlie" as they are always cheerful and can always make me smile even when arguing over the feeders. I have some way to go before I get up to 60.

Today the birds think winter is coming the Coal Tit has been here since first thing eating and storing black sunflower seeds had 3 Blue Tits here at once, unusual that and two Greenfinches (used to have a flock) and a Great Tit which is a rare sight.

Yesterday I had a Sparrowhawk sitting looking through the window for a good 15 minutes if only I can get a photo to upload I will add it later but I am a poor photographer.

Ann

 

[Mary Evelyn]

I always soak my sultanas overnight Peewit because they provide moisture and can be fed to young Blackbirds too.If dry, they can choke young birds but Ann is certainly right we have had so much rain of late,no need too.


Water, water, water, for drinking and bathing gives so much pleasure to us all Ann and i am so pleased you mentioned it, as sometimes it is more important to the birds than the food we put out.