When it comes to feeding backyard birds, having the right bird food mix is crucial for attracting a variety of species to your yard. As an avid birdwatcher and gardener, I am often asked what the best food mix is for feeding birds. After years of trial and error, research, and first-hand experience, I have determined that the best bird food mix contains a variety of high-quality ingredients that meet the nutritional needs of the widest diversity of bird species.
What are the nutritional needs of common backyard birds?
To determine the best food mix, it’s important to understand what nutrients different backyard birds require in their diets. Here are some of the most common backyard birds and their dietary needs:
- Seed-eating birds like sparrows, finches, and cardinals enjoy a mix with various small seeds and grains. These include millet, cracked corn, sunflower seeds (either whole or chips), and nyjer seed.
- Insect-eating birds like chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers benefit from foods that mimic their natural insect diet. These include mealworms, suet, peanuts, and fruit.
- Omnivorous birds like robins, blue jays, and crows appreciate a combination of seeds, nuts, fruit, and even small amounts of protein like mealworms.
- Fruit and nectar lovers like orioles, tanagers, and hummingbirds are attracted to sweeter foods like fruit, nectar, and sugar water.
The best backyard bird food mix includes ingredients that appeal to each of these groups so that you can attract the widest variety of species.
What are the key components of a good bird food mix?
Now that we know what nutrients and foods backyard birds are looking for, here are the top ingredients your mix should include:
Base seeds and grains
A quality birdseed mix should contain basic seeds and grains that appeal to seed-eating birds. Look for a mix with:
- Millet – Rich in carbohydrates and fat, millet is enjoyed by ground-feeding birds like juncos, towhees, and sparrows.
- Cracked corn – High in carbohydrates, this large grain appeals to bigger birds like doves and jays.
- Sunflower seeds – A bird favorite, sunflower seeds offer protein, fat, and nutrients. Look for black oil sunflower seeds which have thinner shells.
- Nyjer seed – Small finches and siskins thrive on these tiny, oil-rich seeds.
Fruit and berries
Dried fruit adds natural sweetness that fruit-loving birds seek. Go for a mix with:
- Raisins – Full of concentrated sugars, raisins are very attractive to robins and orioles.
- Cranberries – These tart berries provide Vitamin C for birds.
- Currants – Both red and black currants are nutritious fruits enjoyed by many birds.
Protein-rich ingredients
Adding nutritious protein sources like nuts, suet, mealworms, and peanuts will attract insect and omnivorous birds. Look for:
- Peanuts – Chopped peanuts offer an excellent protein kick.
- Tree nuts – Almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc. complement seeds and attract chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers.
- Suet – Pure fat, suet provides needed calories for winter birds.
- Dried mealworms – These protein-packed “bird candy” are adored by most backyard birds.
Flavor and Texture
A quality birdseed mix will also contain ingredients added for flavor, texture and fun. These include:
- Dried corn – For a sweet crunch, look for dried whole-kernel corn.
- Milo – Adds texture and carbohydrates.
- Oats – Whole or crushed oats add interest and nutrition.
- Canary seed – Tiny, tasty seeds enjoyed by finches.
- Cracked wheat – Wheat kernels give an energy boost.
- Flax seed – For added omega-3s and fiber.
What ingredients should you avoid?
Some cheap birdseed mixes bulk up on low-quality filler seeds that most birds dislike and won’t eat. When shopping, avoid mixes with a lot of these ingredients:
- Milo – While nutritious in small amounts, too much milo leads to waste.
- Wheat seeds – Lower in fat than other seeds, wheat is often ignored by ground feeders.
- Oat groats – Whole oats with the hull still attached are hard for many birds to digest.
- Rapeseed – While high in protein and fat, the taste tends to deter most birds.
- Rough rice – Most birds find rice grains unappealing due to their texture.
- Red millet – Lower in nutrition than the preferred white proso millet variety.
It’s also best to avoid birdseed blends with lots of “filler” ingredients like buckwheat, flax, hemp, and canary seed which are not favorites of the majority of birds.
What is the ideal nutrition breakdown?
When evaluating birdseed mixes, check the guaranteed nutritional analysis on the label. A quality mix should have the following ideal nutrition ratios:
- 35-65% carbohydrates – Birds need carbs and fat for energy.
- 12-20% protein – For growth and muscle maintenance.
- 10-15% fat – Provides calories for energy needs.
- 2-4% fiber – Aids digestion.
Seeing these percentages will help confirm the mix has a nutritional balance suited for backyard birds.
Should you offer just one mix or multiple types?
Offering separate seed and nut feeders, suet feeders, and nectar feeders can help satisfy the needs of the most species. However, a quality, nutrient-packed blend in a standard hopper or platform feeder will be sufficient for many yards.
Here are pros and cons of each approach:
Single food mix
- Pro: More convenient and less expensive to offer just one mix.
- Pro: Less maintenance refilling fewer feeders.
- Con: Larger, more aggressive birds may hog the feeder and intimidate smaller birds.
- Con: Some birds like hummingbirds may get limited food options.
Multiple specific food types
- Pro: Can cater to preferences of more species.
- Pro: Allows fair access for both small and large birds.
- Con: Requires purchasing and maintaining several feeders.
- Con: More time consuming to fill and clean multiple feeders.
Offering both a quality mix plus a nectar feeder and suet feeder is a great way to cover all your bases and attract the most species diversity.
How much does cost factor in?
Bird food mixes range widely in price from bargain-priced bags under $5 per pound to premium blends over $10 per pound. As with most things, you tend to get what you pay for with birdseed. Cheaper mixes are filled with less desirable seeds, while pricier options use higher volumes of nuts, fruit, and sunflower seeds.
Here are some things to consider with cost:
- Inexpensive mixes attract fewer species and see more waste from birds selectively picking out their preferred seeds.
- Specialty birds like grosbeaks and goldfinches prefer pricier nyjer and sunflower seeds.
- Buying in bulk 5+ pound bags can help lower the per-pound cost of premium mixes.
- Coupons and store sales can offer good deals on normally pricey mixes.
- Quality seed keeps longer to reduce waste compared to cheap seed.
Investing in a premium bird food mix is worth the extra cost to attract a diversity of colorful and interesting backyard birds year after year.
Ready-made mix or DIY custom blend?
For ease of use, most people opt for pre-packaged birdseed mixes from brands like Wagner’s, Pennington, Kaytee, etc. These mixes are convenient, blend nutrition, and have a stable shelf life. However, you also have the option of creating a custom DIY mix suited to your yard’s unique needs. Here’s how the two options compare:
Ready-made mix
- Pro: Convenient and easy. Just pour it in the feeder.
- Pro: Mixes nutrition and appeal for you.
- Pro: Uniform texture and flavors.
- Pro: Treated for freshness.
- Con: Less control over seed ratios.
- Con: Some birds selectively pick ingredients.
Custom DIY mix
- Pro: Can adapt ratios to the species you want to attract.
- Pro: Control exact ingredients.
- Pro: Fun to experiment and tweak mixes.
- Con: Measuring and blending seeds takes time.
- Con: DIY mix goes stale faster.
- Con: Need separate storage bins for bulk seeds.
For most people, a quality ready-made mix offers the best overall combination of nutrition, ease, and affordability. But creative bird-lovers will enjoy crafting their own custom blends!
What is the ideal blend ratio?
Here is an example of a good percentage blend ratio for a DIY custom mix or when comparing ready-made mixes:
- 40% black oil sunflower seeds
- 15% nyjer seed
- 10% white proso millet
- 10% safflower seed
- 10% crushed nuts
- 5% cracked corn
- 5% dried fruit
- 5% other grains/seeds like oats, wheat, flax, etc.
This blend offers a variety of appealing ingredients at ratios that reduce waste. You can tweak the percentages depending on your yard’s regular visitors and their favorites.
How do you store and keep bird food fresh?
Proper storage extends the freshness of birdseed to minimize waste. Here are some tips:
- Store seeds in a cool, dry spot in an airtight container.
- Refrigeration can extend the life for several months.
- Freeze seed in airtight bags for storage up to a year.
- Buy seed in amounts you will use within a month or two.
- First in, first out: use older seed first.
- In summer, only leave out small quantities that get eaten quickly.
Discard any seed or mix that smells rancid, looks moldy, or has lots of insect activity.
Which bird food mix brand is the best?
With all the options on the market, which brand offers the highest quality bird food mix? Based on expert recommendations and consumer reviews, here are 5 top picks:
Wagner’s Greatest Variety Blend
- Premium mix suited for wide range of birds.
- No filler seeds.
- Contains fruit, nuts, and seeds birds love.
- Visually appealing mix.
- Cold-filtered for maximum freshness.
Pennington Cardinal Blend
- Loaded with sunflower seeds and safflower.
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals.
- Contains peanuts, raisins, and whole corn.
- Great value for price.
Kaytee Songbird Blend
- Features fruits, nuts, grains, and seeds.
- Carbohydrate-rich for energy.
- Cracked corn attracts jays and doves.
- No artificial colors or preservatives.
Lyric Ultimate Blend
- High-end gourmet recipe.
- Heavy on peanuts and sunflower.
- Contains expensive nyjer seed.
- Natural ingredients only.
- Higher cost but less waste.
Nature’s Seed Classic Blend
- Budget-friendly option.
- Heavy on cheaper seeds like millet.
- Contains corn, sunflower, oats, and milo.
- Lacks fruit and nuts.
- Good starter mix for new bird feeders.
Any of these reputable brands offer quality ingredients and nutrition birdwatchers look for.
Conclusion
Crafting the optimal birdseed mix requires striking the right balance between nutrition, variety, appeal, and cost. The best mixes contain a thoughtful blend of seeds, nuts, fruit, and other foods that meet the needs of the maximum number of species. Buy the freshest ingredients in the right ratios, store them properly, and time your refills and you’ll have happy, healthy birds flocking to your feeders all season long.
