How to Guide

Audubon Guide
to Birdseed
More than 100 North
American bird species
supplement their natural
diets with birdseed,
suet, fruit, and nectar
obtained from feeders.
Bird feeding can benefit
birds and also provides
great birdwatching in your
own backyard. Dierent
birds are attracted by
dierent kinds of seed,
so try oering a variety
in separate feeders. Just
make sure that the seed
is compatible with both
the feeder and the birds
you hope to attract;
homemade recipes oer
even more options.
A variety of seeds will attract the greatest variety of birds.
To avoid waste, oer dierent seeds in dierent feeders.
Black-oil sunflower seed appeals to the greatest number
of birds. Oer sunflower seeds, Nyjer® (thistle) seeds, and
peanuts in separate feeders.
When using blends, choose mixtures containing sunflower
seeds, millet, and cracked corn—the three most popular
types of birdseed. Birds that are sunflower specialists will
readily eat the sunflower seed and toss the millet and corn
to the ground, to be eaten by ground-feeding birds such
as sparrows and juncos. Mixtures of peanuts, nuts, and
dried fruit are appealing to woodpeckers, nuthatches, and
titmice. Relatively few species prefer milo, wheat, and oats,
which are featured in less expensive blends.
Oer a variety of seeds
QUICK TIP
About Audubon
The National Audubon Society saves birds and their
habitats throughout the Americas using science,
advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.
Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters,
and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that
reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire,
and unite diverse communities in conservation action.
Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in
which people and wildlife thrive.
Written by Stephen W. Kress, PhD
Photography by Camilla Cerea/Audubon
Visit Audubon online for
more information and tips on
creating a bird-friendly yard.
www.audubon.org
225 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
844.428.3826
BIRD FEEDING BASICS