Know what do birds eat and offer them the right food

What Do Backyard Birds Eat

Enjoying nature is one of the most peaceful things you can indulge in. Whether you live upcountry or in the city, it is easy to attract birds of various species to your porch or balcony. All you need is to either build a feeder or buy one. These are easy to set up and as long as it has some bird feed in it, then you will enjoy watching various species of birds come and go from the feeder.

It is not clear whether bird feeders contribute to the overall protection and bird population in the world. But feeders in your back yard can help the birds in your neighborhood. The general rule concerning the feeding of wild animals is, do not do it if you run the risk of harm. Birds are considered harmless so, by all means, go right ahead and feed them

There are numerous species of birds around the world. This means there are also numerous types of feeds for birds depending on the bird species. The season of the year may also determine what birds eat. Birds may eat different seeds and fruits in the winter as compared to the summer.

Below we look at various Bird feeds depending on species, season, etc.

The bird feeds in the summer and winter seasons

You may have noticed that birds flock to your feeder in the summer. But you struggle to attract birds in the winter or vice versa. What you feed your birds determines the number and species of birds that you can attract to your feeder. Of importance to note is that the same bird can feed on different things depending on the season. This means a bird can be at your feeder in the summer but not come to it in the winter, as it seeks food that will enable it to hibernate.

 Below are some foods you can feed in the winter.

Shelled Peanuts- This means peanuts without a shell. Unsalted and dry roasted peanuts provide the much-needed fat and protein for birds that are necessary to provide energy and warmth in the winter.

Safflower- It is a shelled, white, conical seed eaten by birds especially the northern cardinal. Some bird experts claim that safflower seeds are not easily eaten by squirrels. Nevertheless, safflower should not be placed on the ground since it easily absorbs water and can be soggy and inedible in the winter.

Fruit- Humans are encouraged to eat at least three fruits a day. The benefits that humans get from fruits is similar to that of birds. If you can afford, you can set out on the feeder banana slices, apples, grapes, and citrus fruits, etc.

Other foods that can be feed to birds in the summer include mealworms, cracked corn, nyjer, suet, and black-oiled sunflower seeds.

In the summer, birds require high protein foods especially when they are molting. In the summer, it advisable to feed birds with natural food as possible. Earthworms and caterpillars. In the absence of this, you can feed them mealworms and buggy nibbles.

Other foods you can feed them include black sunflower seeds, soaked sultanas, pinhead oatmeal, etc.

Some people use soaked dog and cat food. The risk with this is that your cats may just feed on them from the bird feeder.

Wild feeds.

Birds would prefer feeding on bird feeders. But what do they eat in the wild? This depends on the bird species.

Robins and blackbirds eat spiders, earthworms, and snails. House sparrows will feed on natural seeds from plants such as Dock. During the summer, they may hunt for caterpillars and aphids.

Most birds normally feed on natural seeds from wild plants and invertebrates and insects such as caterpillars and spiders.

Seeds for Bird feeders.

There are numerous types of bird feed mixes. The cheaper mixes mostly contain millet and small amounts of cracked corn and other seeds of grains. However, a lot of it can go to waste as most birds will seek out the favorite seeds in the mix and leave the rest. Wheat is a popular addition but has little nutritional value.

The best seeds for bird feeders are dried mealworms, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nyjer, dried fruit, and nuts.

Dangerous seeds for Bird feeders

You may mistakenly assume that bird seeds are obvious and easy to identify. However, some seeds can be dangerous to your birds and you may end up doing more harm than good in feeding birds from a bird feeder.

Chocolate can be eaten by humans but the digestive system of birds cannot handle chocolate. It can cause vomiting and diarrhea to birds. Seeds that can harm a bird include apple seeds, dried beans, and Avocado seeds. Other dangerous things to feed your pet include, mushrooms. Caffeine, alcohol, and salt.

Below we look at what some specific bird species eat.

Bluebird- These birds feed on sunflower bits, fruits, and mealworms

Chickadee- These birds enjoy peanut butter and suet at bird feeders. Other feeds they eat include insects, berries, seeds, and portions of carrion.

Flicker-The hunt for ants and larvae underground. They also feed on insects such as beetles. In the winter, they can feed on seeds and fruits

House Finch- These birds feed exclusively on plant material such as seeds, fruits, and buds. In the wild, they feed on mustard seeds, mulberry, thistle, knotweed among others.

House Sparrow- These birds normally feed on grains and seeds. Sometimes they can feed on livestock feed and our discarded food. They eat crops such as sorghum and wheat. In the wild, they eat crabgrass and ragweed among others. They also enjoy sunflower seeds

Kestrel- They feed on small agile prey such as insects, beetles, earthworms, and wood mice. They can also feed on small birds

Nuthatches- They uniquely feed while upside down mainly on tree barks. However, they will visit your feeder to eat some sunflower seeds, peanut butter, mealworms, and suet among others.

Purple Martin- Feeds mostly on flying insects such as wasps, houseflies, and crane flies. They also feed on moths, butterflies, and dragonflies. They can also feed on some spiders.

Tree Swallow- These birds feed mainly on insects such as sand fleas, spiders, and beetles.

Warbler- These will mostly eat insects and spiders. However, in the winter it is common to see them feeding on seeds and berries. They also enjoy suet.

Woodpecker-The most common foods include insects such as ants and grabs and wood-boring insects.

Wren- These birds consume insects, spiders, bugs, and beetles. The younger ones can be fed grasshoppers and caterpillars.