HOW TO EAT LIKE A BIRD

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Safflower Seeds

Birds that like sunflower seeds will also enjoy safflower seeds. Crows, grackles, and squirrels don't like the taste, however, so safflower is a good choice if unwanted critters are a problem. The drawback is that safflower seeds are considerably more expensive than sunflower seeds. Your birds may be a little hesitant about taking safflower seeds when you first offer them. Mix the seeds in with sunflower seeds until they get used to the idea. Cardinals are particularly fond of safflower seeds. To encourage these beautiful, somewhat shy birds, set up a separate safflower-seed feeder away from your other feeders. Look for the cardinals especially at dawn and dusk. Before the other birds are stirring and after they have gone to roost, you will hear the soft call of the cardinals at your feeder.

Thistle (Niger) Seed

To attract goldfinches, house finches, purple finches, redpolls, pine siskins, juncos, and indigo buntings, these tiny black seeds are magic. It is markedly more expensive than sunflower seed, and the price has been going up. On the other hand, since only some of the birds in your backyard will eat it, you will use a lot less of it, and the birds that eat Niger are some of the most colorful. Some manufacturers offer a cheaper "finch mix" that is about half Niger and half other small seeds. The birds will pick out the Niger seed and drop the rest on the ground for the sparrows. Stick to pure Niger, offered in a tube feeder with tiny holes.

Peanuts

Whole shelled peanuts are a very attractive food for blue jays, tufted titmice, chickadees, goldfinches, woodpeckers, and white-throated sparrows. Even shy birds that do not usually come to feeders, including ruby-crowned kinglets and yellow-rumped warblers, can be attracted with peanuts. Peanuts, however, will also attract eager squirrels in record time. Peanut hearts (not the same thing as peanut pieces) have a special appeal to starlings and not much appeal to any other bird. If you want to keep starlings away from the feeder, avoid peanut hearts.

Blue jays and woodpeckers can crack open peanuts in the shell. For an enjoyable project around Christmas, use a strong needle and heavy thread to make a string of peanuts in the shell. Make a Christmas tree for the birds by draping the peanut strings over an evergreen tree.

Corn

Corn is a favorite food of many birds, and it is very inexpensive. Whole or coarsely cracked grains are eaten by larger birds such as blue jays, ducks, geese, quail, wild turkeys, and crows. Because whole and coarsely cracked corn kernels are resistant to water, they can be offered in platform feeders or directly on the ground with little risk. Scatter only enough for a day, however, and don't offer any if the weather is wet.

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