Wild Bird Food & Treats

Different types of wild birds have diets that vary significantly. Still, it’s generally safe to offer wild bird food in the form of oats and seeds, nuts, sugar water, suet, fruit and other options found in commercially available feed.

Birds eat all kinds of things in nature. To attract the backyard birds you’re looking for, try providing wild bird treats and food that contain the following ingredients:

• Flowers or sugar water for hummingbirds
• Sunflower seeds for cardinals and finches
• Thistle or other wild bird seed for various finches and doves
• Cracked corn for bluebirds and jays
• Suet for woodpeckers and overwinter birds

If safety guidelines are followed, feeding wild birds can be great for them and the environment. Especially after a harsh winter, many birds rely on feeders when they return home, and their natural food sources are still affected by the cold. You can take measures to ensure your feeders are harmless to the birds using them, including cleaning them with disinfectant solutions a few times a year and choosing feeders that cater to native birds in your area.

Even the best wild bird seed mix can cause an overabundance of birds at one feeder. You should also place different types of feeders and food at different locations in your yard, so birds of different species can have their own spaces—this also helps prevent diseases from spreading.