What is in Bird Seed Mixes?

We often buy for our backyard bird feeders a mix of seeds but how often do we know what's in that mix? If you're like me, you tend to just believe that these people know what they are doing when they put this mix together. While that's true, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the seeds are that they are using.

There about 7 main seeds that go into many mixes. The highest percentage in good mixes is usually black oil sunflower seeds. These have a high fat content and an easily-broken shell. It's very attractive to songbirds, like the Northern Cardinal. Regular sunflower seeds are also included in many mixes, but the shells are harder for birds to break with their beaks.

Hulled sunflower seeds are also available and come in many of the mixes. It's just like it sounds. The sunflower seeds are de-shelled for the birds' convenience. Millet is another common seed. It's a small round seed that may be one or more of three types, red, golden and white.

Safflower is a larger seed usually white in color that is especially favored by Cardinals, but also many other songbirds. What you will also find in many mixes is cracked corn and nuts, mostly peanuts. These both are broken into small pieces to make it easier for birds to enjoy.

So next time you grab a bag of bird food, take a look at the ingredients and see what's included for your backyard birds.