How to Attract a Greater Variety of Birds to Your Yard
Stop in! Our friendly Certified Birdfeeding Specialists™ are happy to chat with you about how to create a backyard birding haven that both you and our spectacular Rio Grande Valley birds will want to spend time in. Some general tips follow. You can also shop online for core products mentioned below, such as:
But remember: we have tons more products in-store-only, including gorgeous garden decor and giftable items!
Key Takeaway: Different Birds Have Different Preferences
Different species may prefer different:
- Foods: Some prefer seeds, while others need nectar, and still others want insects. Some like a combination. And some food preferences may change seasonally. For example, in winter, birds are often looking for high-fat food sources.
- Ways of getting food: Not all birds like perching on a suspended feeder. Ground-feeding birds, for example, prefer food set on larger, flat surfaces.
So what's an easy way to attract a greater variety of birds? Offer multiple kinds of foods at the same time, at different feeding levels.
Recommended Food Variety
Beyond our regionally-formulated seed blends, we recommend offering a broad selection of foods that attracts a greater variety of birds and meets their nutritional needs.
Peanuts
The best single source of protein and fat for birds. Some birds will cache nuts to retrieve later, making repeated trips to feeders to gather food.
Nyjer® (Thistle)
This is a particular favorite of the Lesser Goldfinches that we have year-round in the RGV, as well as the American Goldfinches that migrate through and the Pine Siskins that winter here. Nyjer’s high oil content is an excellent energy source for active birds and is best used in our specially-designed finch feeders.
Mealworms
Insect-eating birds go crazy for these! Learn more on our mealworms page.
Nectar
Hummingbirds’ favorite food. It’s important to continue offering nectar in areas like ours where we always have at least one species of hummingbird hanging around, usually Buff-bellied Hummingbirds.
Suet
Woodpeckers’ favorite. Suet is a high-energy, pure-fat substance that birds enjoy all year long. It is particularly helpful in winter when many types of birds need more calories to stay warm. Learn more about using suet.
Seed Cylinders
The quickest, simplest, longest-lasting way to feed your birds. Available in a variety of flavors, our seed cylinders meet the nutritional needs and feeding behaviors of a number of different birds, and they don't need to be replaced as often as loose seed.
Seed & Suet Stackables
Stacking both suet cylinders and seed cylinders onto the same feeder is a simple way to attract a combination of birds. Our Flying Start® Combo (in-store only) is a great gift for any beginning bird feeding enthusiast—or a nice addition to an existing collection of feeders. The set includes three stackable seed and/or suet cylinders, and comes with a FREE powder-coated metal feeder to hold them. Simply hook it onto a branch or pole and wait for the birds to show up!
Jim’s Birdacious® Bark Butter®
The perfect blend of fat and protein, no other single bird food attracts a greater variety of species; over 140 birds and counting. Learn more about using bark butter.
Recommended Feeding Levels
Birds tend to choose feeders that are at the same height where they would find food in the wild. Imitating these natural feeding levels will help you attract the most birds to your backyard.
There are two common backyard bird feeding levels: elevated and ground.
1. Feeding at an Elevated Level
Elevated-feeding birds live in forests and forage for food in trees. These birds prefer sunflower seeds, safflower, sunflower chips and peanuts.
Examples of elevated-feeding birds:
- titmice
- finches
- jays
- woodpeckers
To attract elevated-feeding birds, offer WBU Supreme, Choice or No-Mess Blend in a Quick-Clean® Seed Tube Feeder or hopper-style feeder on an Advanced Pole System® bird feeding station.
2. Feeding at Ground Level
These birds often live in meadows and/or fields where fallen plant seeds are a food source. Examples of ground-feeding birds:
- towhees
- quail
- doves
- sparrows
Though millet is the preferred seed of most ground-feeding birds, they will eat other grains and seeds, such as sunflower. To attract ground-feeding birds, offer WBU Deluxe Blend, No-Mess Blend or other appropriate blends in a ground feeder like our EcoTough™ Ground Tray.
3. Feeding at Both Levels with One Feeder
To attract birds at both levels using one feeder, offer WBU Deluxe or No-Mess Blend in an EcoTough™ Classic hopper feeder. This feeder was designed to accommodate both feeding levels. Elevated-feeding birds will eat the larger seeds at the feeder and knock out the millet and other seeds for ground-feeding birds.
Our WBU Deluxe Blend is full of sunflower seeds, millet and other seeds. Sunflower lovers will eat at the feeder, and ground-feeding birds will eat the fallen millet.