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It's always time to stock up on birdseed at Feeders Supply. So how do you choose the seed or mix that's right for you? They all seem the same, right? The answer is that there are good mixes, better mixes and best mixes based on seed content and proportion of each seed.
Here's how the seed preference works. Some grains, such as milo and wheat are edible, but not necessarily "treats" for many birds. Corn is tasty to some -- blue jays, grackles, sparrows and mourning doves in particular. Cardinals, finches and the entire sparrow family favor millet, especially the white variety. And, safflower has its following with the cardinals, sparrows and mourning doves. The all-time, most favored seed of all is black oil-type sunflower seed. Black sunflower will be gobbled up by nearly every seed-eating species of bird found in Kentuckiana backyards!
To assist you with your selection, we have rated our seed mixes based on their content. Seed proportions are relative to the order in the ingredient listing. Our picks are: Good - Outdoor Mix with corn, wheat, milo and sunflower Better - Fancybird Mix with millet, milo, wheat and sunflower Best - Cardinal Mix with corn, milo, millet, safflower and sunflower It's easy to see why "Best" is named "Cardinal Mix". This mix features millet, safflower and sunflower, three of the cardinals' very favorite seeds! And, because five different grains/seeds are included, it will appeal to the widest variety of backyard visitors. The Audubon Society has recommended this seed.
Fancybird Mix has no safflower but contains millet and sunflower, two cardinal favorites. A special Fancybird feature is the lack of corn, one of the favorite foods of blue jays and grackles. If you do not want these noisy visitors at your backyard feeder, Fancybird is for you!
(Information for this article gathered from a study conducted prior to 1983 by Dr. A.D. Geis of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.) |
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