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Bird Seed

Avoid all but proven mixed products, normally sold commercially as premium and value product lines. Do not purchase or use low quality cheap feeds that may contain much non seed content, insects and/or seeds of no interest to the birds. Make sure to purchase high quality seed from a bird seed dealer.

Purchase oil-type sunflower seeds and white proso millet and present them separately in different feeder styles (see our feeder section). The birds feeding on WPM prefer ground orlarge platform feeders, while oil-type sunflower feeders prefer an elevated feeder with small perching areas, such as that found intubular feeders. The good news is that following these recommendations saves you money, provides the birds what they really need to flourish, and attracts the greatest variety of species to your backyard.

Most Common Backyard Birds

Type of Bird You Want to Attract

Black Oil Sunflower Seed

Cracked Corn White Millet Nyjer Thistle Seed Peanut Meats Safflower
Seeds
Striped Sunflower Seed Sunflower Meats
Blackheaded Grosbeak

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Blue Jay

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Cardinal

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Chickadee

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Doves

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Goldfinch

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Indigo Bunting

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Junco

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Meadowlark

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Mockingbird

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Painted Bunting

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Purple Finch

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Nuthatch

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Red Winged Blackbird

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Sparrows

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Titmouse

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Woodpeckers

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Suet & Nuggets

What is suet?
Suet is animal fat. It is the most concentrated source of energy you can offer wild birds. Suet should be made with only the highest quality processed beef kidney fat. Special processes remove impurities that cause low melting points and spoilage problems. Good suets are a poured product and will become soft and pliable at around 100 degrees (F). Suet should be refined even further and pressed to produce a "No Melt" suet that can be fed during the hottest temperatures.

What birds are attracted by suet?
Many birds enjoy suet. Some birds are attracted more by specific flavors. Woodpeckers, grosbeaks, nuthatch and chickadees will be the most frequent visitors to the suet feeders. Sparrows, titmouse and house finches will also frequent suet stations.

Why do birds eat suet?
Suet is one of the top three foods to feed wild birds. Birds have high metabolic rates. It is not unusual for birds to consume 1/4 to 1/3 their body weight worth of food a day! Offering suet, mixed with the highest quality grains, nuts, fruits, and flavored pellets provides a high caloric energy source. Suet is one of the first foods birds will offer their young.


When do birds eat?

Birds seek out food most actively first thing in the morning and again just before nightfall. This gives them the energy burst they need to make it through spring nesting, breeding and chilly winter nights. The wide variety and product quality make Suet an extremely desirable food source for our many feathered friends in all seasons.


How do I feed suet?

Suet is traditionally fed in vinyl-coated wire cages. They are inexpensive and durable. Wire dimensions vary depending on how starling or squirrel resistant you want your feeder to be. The cages, or baskets, hold from one to several Suet Cakes or Bricks. The cages may be hung from branches, tree trunks, or hooks. There are also several designs available combining wire with wood or plastic. Click here for more information on our line of Suet Feeders and Baskets.


When do I feed suet?

ALL YEAR ROUND!!!
In the past, people fed suet only in the fall and winter, due to poor quality and misconceptions of feeding wild birds. Winter is a good time for the beginner to start feeding because most trees are bare of foliage making the birds very visible. You are also more apt to see birds in flocks in the winter time. The growth and popularity of summer bird feeding was to be expected. You will have constant activity on your feeders as they flit back and forth for quick snacks during their busy day. "No Melt" Suets make it easy to attract insect eating birds to your yard in warm weather. Year round feeding allows you to observe and enjoy wild birds when they are the most active and colorful. Click here for more information on "Getting Started" in wild bird feeding.


What birds eat suet?

If you have never fed Suet, you have missed some great neighbors. Common birds that eat suet are downy, hairy, red-bellied, and pileated woodpeckers. Chickadees, northern flickers, nuthatches, and starlings are also avid suet eaters. By adding Suet to your wild bird's menu, you will also attract wrens, warblers, thrushes, brown creepers, brown thrashers, and blue jays. You can also attract orioles, pine siskins, titmice, and the ever popular bluebird.


What flavors do I feed?

Suet flavors are available in treats and "No Melt" delights. Start with a suet that is most appealing to you. Ingredients vary from peanuts to papaya, hot pepper to almond, berry to cherry, and raisin to insect. Special blends are available including Hawaiian, Oriole, Bluebird and Woodpecker.


What are Nuggets?

This is a new fat based product that uses a unique formulation and production process to produce. Nuggets have proven to be attractive to a larger variety of wild birds than even the finest selection of quality seeds. For more information on wild bird feeding, click here.


How do I feed Nuggets?

We have the Nugget "Plus" line that may be fed with Nugget/Peanut/Sunflower feeders using 1/3" diameter wire or platform feeders. These feeders will only attract the clinging type of bird like Nuthatches and Chickadees.


Why do you have Seed blends with Nuggets?

We just recently released three different seed blends with Nuggets. We wanted our customers to be able to experience the success our Nuggets have in attracting wild birds without having to purchase new feeders. Nugget mixes used in conventional hopper and tube feeders will attract a more diverse variety of birds than normal high quality seed mixes.


What is a Snak Cake?

Snak Cakes are produced with natural adhesive binders holding different mixes together in a cake form. These cakes vary in size from 6 ounces to 6.5 pounds.


Why would I use a Snak Cake?

Snak Cakes create less mess and waste than many conventional seed mixes. Snak Cakes may allow you to feed in places that you wouldn't normally place seed feeders. You'll also find that Snak Cake feeders attract a different type of bird than conventional bird feeders.


What about squirrels?

Squirrels are the bane of most birders. However, at A Bird's Home, we prefer to "FEED 'EM, DON'T FIGHT 'EM." This is why we have developed a full line "Squirrelog" products and feeders (click here for more information on our line of squirrel feeding products). Not only do squirrels provide hours of entertainment, it is also to necessary to divert them away from bird suets and feeders because they can cause damage and steal needed food from wild birds. This is why we developed our line of Sweet Corn Squirrelogs--to have the best of both worlds.

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