Wild bird feeds in the UK typically contain a blend of different seeds and grains, chosen because they provide different combinations of energy, protein, fats and essential nutrients. The best blends offer variety so they appeal to a wider range of garden birds.
What sort of seeds go into wild bird feeds and why are they beneficial to our garden birds?
Common seeds found in wild bird blends include:
Sunflower hearts:
These are extremely high in energy and oil, and an excellent source of protein and fats. They are loved by finches, tits, sparrows, nuthatches and woodpeckers.
Black sunflower seeds:
Like sunflower hearts they are a really nutritious high-fat, high-energy seed, but with the husk intact so they can be a bit messy. Finches, tits, sparrows and nuthatches are among the birds that enjoy them.
White millet:
Small, easy-to-eat seeds full of carbohydrates and some protein. They are liked by sparrows, finches, dunnocks and buntings.
Red millet:
Very similar to white millet in terms of nutrition with useful carbohydrate and protein. Sparrows, finches and buntings enjoy them.
Canary seed:
A small, nutritious seed with carbohydrate, protein and oil. They are liked by finches, sparrows and other small seed-eaters.
Safflower:
These are energy-rich and high in protein and oil. Finches, tits and nuthatches love them.
Hemp seed:
The seeds are high in both oil and protein. Finches and other seed-eating birds like them.
Nyjer seed:
Tiny but mighty with an exceptionally high level of oil for their size. They are loved by goldfinch, siskins and redpolls.
Peanuts:
Rich in fat, protein and energy – and loved by tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers and sparrows.
Oats:
A source of protein and carbohydrate and enjoyed by sparrows, pigeons, doves and other ground-feeding birds.
Wheat:
Provides plenty of carbohydrate and energy, and liked by larger birds such as pigeons, doves and sparrows.
Maize:
An energy-rich source of carbohydrates and liked by pigeons, doves, pheasants and other large birds.
Why are oil-rich seeds so useful?
For many garden birds, fat is an extremely important source of energy. Birds have very high metabolic rates and need to maintain their body temperature, particularly during cold winter nights.
That's why sunflower hearts, sunflower seed, peanuts and nyjer are so useful. They pack a lot of energy into a relatively small amount of food.
Oil-rich foods can also be particularly valuable during:
- Cold weather, when birds need extra energy to maintain body temperature
- Winter, when natural food can be scarce
- Breeding, when adults need energy to feed themselves and their young
- Moulting, when birds are producing new feathers
- Periods of bad weather, when natural food may be difficult to find
Sunflower hearts are particularly versatile
Sunflower hearts are one of the most useful ingredients in a garden bird mix because the husk has already been removed. Birds can eat the nutritious kernel immediately, producing very little waste.
They are particularly attractive to goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, tits, sparrows, nuthatches and woodpeckers.
An important point about "mixed seed"
Not all mixed bird foods are nutritionally or practically equal. A cheap mix may contain a high proportion of wheat, millets or other lower-cost grains, which can result in birds selectively eating their preferred ingredients and leaving the rest.
A good quality mix should therefore have a useful balance of energy-rich oilseeds, protein-containing seeds and smaller seeds, rather than simply containing lots of different ingredients.
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