Most pet shop in Mt. Druitt sell a wide variety of bird food, with seeds being the more popular option. There are many different types of seeds that are given as bird food. Although some of these can be given individually, they can also be mixed together and sold as commercial mixed seeds. You can also buy these individual packs and make your own mix if that is what you prefer.

So what types of seeds are commonly given as bird food? Is one seed any better than the other in terms of nutritional value? What seed is best for what specie of bird? The following paragraphs aim to provide some answers.

Sunflower seeds are one of the most popular types of seeds given to birds. Birds like sparrows, doves, and cardinals are particularly fond of these. But it’s not just the birds that love these seeds, since they also tend to attract squirrels. There are two main types of sunflower seeds that are given as bird food to feathered pets, namely black oil sunflower seeds and striped sunflower seeds.

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

Between the two, black oil sunflower seeds more commonly given as bird food. These types of sunflower seeds have thinner shells, which makes them easier to open, and thus recommended for the smaller birds. The kernels found inside also contain high fat content, making them a perfect choice for most winter birds.

Striped Sunflower Seeds

Striped sunflower seeds are larger than black oil sunflower seeds. In addition, they have thicker shells which are more difficult to crack open, thus making them more suitable for larger species of birds and those with strong bills or beaks.

Hulled Sunflower Seeds

Hulled sunflower seeds are excellent choices for smaller birds with weaker beaks, or those who have a hard time cracking sunflower seed shells and getting the kernels inside. However, even birds of the larger species will thoroughly enjoy a treat of this particular bird food. This is also perfect since you don’t have to worry about cleaning up the shells left after the birds eat which can attract rodents.

There are certain things you’ll need to keep in mind though with regard to hulled sunflower seeds. For one, this is more expensive than sunflower seeds with shells for obvious reasons. Second, because of the absence of the shells which helps to protect the kernels, hulled sunflower seeds tend to spoil much quicker, thus they should be kept in airtight containers. Also, because they have no shells, there is the possibility that they can be easily infected by germs and bacteria. This is why if you’re going to get hulled sunflower seeds, buy and stock only that which can be consumed within two or three days.

These seeds are large and oval-shaped. They have white shells that look like plain, white sunflower seeds. The shells of safflower seeds are pretty thick and hard. This makes them unsuitable for smaller species of birds, and they should only be given as bird food for large species of birds or those that have stronger bills. Safflower seeds can be fed to birds using a hopper, tube or platform feeders.

If there is one thing that many people like about using safflower seeds as bird food, it is that you can leave them and have no fear of squirrels or other critters from ransacking them. Safflower has a slightly bitter taste which the aforementioned animals do not like.

Nyjer seeds are tiny, black, needle-like oilseeds that are high in protein. Birds need to break the shells in order to get the kernel, which again leaves you with a significant amount of shells which can attract rodents. Many people think that nyjer seeds are actually thistle seeds. However, the nyjer plant where the seeds are taken from aren’t related to the thistle family. They are actually grown overseas and imported to the country. Prior to packaging, the seeds are heat-sterilized which helps to retain their food value during logistics.

One of the problems of many people with nyjer seeds is their size, that is, they are so small that they tend to fall out of feeders. However, this can be easily remedied by getting feeders that are specially designed to hold nyjer seeds and other smaller types of seeds given as bird food. You can find these types of feeders in some pet shop in Mt. Druitt.

Take note also that nyjer seeds are more expensive than other types of seeds being sold as bird food. However, there are many birds that prefer nyjer seeds over other types of seeds, and you may find it hard to feed other types of seeds to such species of birds.