It’s great to feed and care for birds in your backyard and its a great way to get your kids involved in nature. Here are some helpful resources and ideas for making sure your backyard birds get what they need and you reap the benefits of a safe feeding station and the right food — lots of birds to watch!
Wondering what feeders and bird seed will attract the birds you want to see?
The US Fish and Wildlife Service recommends the following feeders and seeds to attract specific birds:
TUBE FEEDER WITH BLACK OIL SUNFLOWER SEEDS
goldfinches chickadees
woodpeckers nuthatches
titmice redpolls
pine siskins
ADDING A TRAY TO THE TUBE FEEDER WILL ALSO ATTRACT
cardinals jays
crossbills purple finches
white-throated sparrow house finches
white-crowned sparrows
TRAY OR PLATFORM FEEDER — WITH MILLET
doves house sparrows
blackbirds juncos
cowbirds towhees
white-throated sparrows tree sparrows
white-crowned sparrows chipping sparrows
TRAY OR PLATFORM FEEDER — WITH CORN
starlings house sparrows
grackles jays
juncos bobwhite quail
doves ring-necked pheasants
white-throated sparrows
PLATFORM FEEDER OR TUBE FEEDER AND TRAY — with PEANUTS
cardinals chickadees
grackles house finches
titmice house sparrows
sparrows starlings
mourning doves white-throated sparrows
jays juncos
NIGER THISTLE FEEDER WITH TRAY
goldfinches house finches
purple finches redpolls
pine siskins doves
chickadees song sparrows
dark-eyed juncos white-throated sparrows
NECTAR FEEDER
hummingbirds orioles
cardinals tanagers
woodpeckers finches
thrushes
FRUIT
orioles tanagers
mockingbirds bluebirds
thrashers cardinals
woodpeckers jays
starlings thrushes
cedar waxwings yellow-breasted chats
HANGING SUET FEEDER
woodpeckers wrens
chickadees nuthatches
kinglets thrashers
creepers cardinals
starlings
PEANUT BUTTER SUET
woodpeckers goldfinches
juncos cardinals
thrushes jays
kinglets bluebirds
wrens starlings
HANGING PEANUT FEEDER
woodpeckers
chickadees
titmice
Information from the US Fish and Wildlife Service
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