It’s sold in 4.5 or eight-pound bags.įor people who still want to buy a blend but don’t want to include too many other bird food ingredients, this might be a great choice. If the birds in your backyard don’t tend to like red millet, Kaytee makes a blend of finch seed that’s just sunflower chips and thistle seed. Best Finch Food – Seed Mixes Valley Farms Wild Finch Mix You can always create your own mix of thistle and any other ingredients that birds prove to enjoy. If you find that birds are turning down one specific seed in your finch mix, adjust what food you’re putting out to avoid wasting money and seed. There are plenty of seed mixes that don’t include milo, so be sure to read the ingredients list before purchasing seeds to prevent waste. Ground birds like doves and quails might take to it, but songbirds will usually pass on it in favor of more desirable seeds. Some companies will include milo as a component of various bird seeds, but birds don’t really enjoy it. One ingredient to generally avoid is milo. What works for one person may not work as well for another. However, backyard bird feeding is often about experimenting and finding what works for you. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology says that canary seed “doesn’t offer much over more widespread seed,” so if you’re mixing your own seed, you could potentially skip this one. It can also attract birds like cowbirds and house sparrows, two species that aren’t always popular with backyard birdwatchers. It is high in protein, so some humans have begun to consume canary seed as well.įinches are not the only birds that will eat canary seed. Canary SeedĬanary seed, also known as alpiste, may be named after a bird, but it’s not just for birds. Seeds meant for human consumption often have a high concentration of salt and artificial flavoring that isn’t meant for birds.īuy bird-specific sunflower seeds or unsalted peanuts if you’re feeding the birds with them.įinches can shell sunflower seeds on their own, but finch mixes often include these seeds with the shells already removed. The peanuts and sunflower seeds that humans eat are prepared differently than those for birds. However, what the birds are served and what humans eat aren’t the same. Sunflower Chips and Peanut Heartsįinches enjoy sunflowers and peanuts, two more foods often associated with human consumption. There’s nothing wrong with feeding these types of birds if that’s what you want, but many bird watchers prefer not to. If you find that millet is being eaten up by cowbirds, starlings, and house sparrows, you may want to consider switching from a finch mix to just thistle seed. In addition to finches, millet is also popular amongst ground birds like doves and turkeys and several sparrow species. There are various types of millet, including red, yellow, and white proso millet. Millet seed is the small, round seed of a grassy grain cultivated for both bird and human consumption. In addition to thistle seed, finch mixes may also include canary seed, millet, sunflower chips, peanut hearts, and milo, although certain mixes could include other ingredients as well. Here are a couple of good options to consider: Lyric Nyjer seedĪ household name in bird feeding, Kaytee sells this product in an eight-pound or 20-pound bag. When it comes to buying standalone thistle seed, most products are going to be pretty much the same thing. Other birds that may eat it include chickadees and juncos, but thistle is favored by birds such as goldfinches, house and purple finches, pine siskins, and redpolls. Thistle seed generally isn’t preferred by squirrels or many larger birds, but finches love it. ![]() If you know that the finches are looking for one specific seed, you might as well focus on that seed and reduce seed waste by not buying other less popular seeds. You can buy thistle as a standalone product, and for many people, that’s probably the best choice. Should I buy finch mix or just thistle seed? Other seeds often included are sunflower chips, small peanut chunks, canary seeds, and red, golden, or white proso millet. While the bags may be a seed mix, that mix will still be about 50 percent thistle or more. While they’re small, thistle seeds are high in oil content, making them a high-energy food that can power finches all through the year, including during the winter months.īird watchers can also purchase pre-mixed seed that is often branded as a “finch mix.” It is sold alone or as the basis of most finch food mixes. These tiny seeds are a favorite of backyard finches across North America, including goldfinches and common finches like purple and house finches. Last update on / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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