Attract Birds with Foods that Mimic Natural Food Sources

Birds' beaks, feet, dexterity and other physical characteristics allow them to feed on specific natural foods, such as seeds, nuts, fruits/berries, insects, flower nectar and sap. For this reason, the bird food in our feeders should mimic birds’ natural food sources. Here are some examples:

• Sunflower and safflower seeds mimic tree seeds, including pine, hemlock, spruce, maple, elm, sweetgum and more than 60 native sunflower species.  Place these in hanging tube or hopper style feeders.

• Millet mimics small, native flower and weed seeds, such as crabgrass, chickweed, knotweed and foxtail. Place millet in ground feeders for our sparrows, doves, and quail.

• Nyjer® (thistle) mimics weedy flowers with small seeds such as native thistles, goldenrod and ragweed. These are primarily eaten by our goldfinches and pine siskins in a special nyger feeder.

• Peanuts, in or out of the shell, mimic many species of acorns and pine nuts. Many birds love peanuts including jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmouse.

• Mealworms mimic the wild insect larvae typically consumed by numerous insect eating bird species.