When it comes to feeding garden birds, there are so many options available that it can be a little overwhelming. Therefore we’ll be homing in on a few of our choices that attract birds to the garden and help them out throughout the year. This week we’ve chosen to look at sunflower seeds.
It used to be widely advertised that niger seed appeared to be a Goldfinch’s favourite food but apparently this has recently changed and we’ve seen this first-hand in the Embrace Nature UK garden. When we initially wanted to attract Goldfinches, we purchased a small niger seed feeder and rarely saw any birds on it. Once we introduced sunflower hearts though, everything changed. We now enjoy seeing many Goldfinches every day and even when the Sunflower heart feeder is already full of birds, they still choose to try and squeeze in before considering the other food options that are within close proximity.
There are lots of benefits to eating sunflower seeds.
* Oil content – the seeds are high in oil, which keeps beaks, feathers and their skin healthy
* Fast food – sunflower hearts in particular are quick to eat but whether you display black or striped sunflower seeds or the hearts, the birds can get maximum energy in only small quantities of food. When we see tits on the feeders they rarely stick around long so getting that extra boost when they’re back and forth must be a good thing!
* Nutrition – The seeds contain magnesium, iron, calcium, Vitamins A, C and B-6 amongst other things. They provide the right nutrients for birds to maintain a healthy nervous system, feathers, skin and strong beaks.
Sunflower seeds have potentially contributed to the recovery of a few species of birds including Goldfinches and Great Tits. At one time their numbers were declining but it’s thought that since sunflower seeds and niger seed has started appearing in our gardens, birds have been given a helping hand that aids them in surviving the harsher months.
The impact on species numbers has been impressive with the Goldfinch population increasing by 16% between 2011 and 2016. Our enjoyment of feeding garden birds has had a further impact as scientists believe that in the UK, we have been responsible for ‘rapid evolution’. Some bird species in Britain have been found to have beaks of up to 0.3mm longer than the same species in the rest of Europe.
So if you’re thinking of introducing sunflower seeds to your garden, what do you need?
You can purchase black sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds or sunflower hearts. The sunflower hearts produce the least mess and are the easiest and fastest for birds to consume, though may not last for as long as in warmer weather can rot quickly. Whichever food you choose, you will most likely find that a diamond-hole cage feeder is most appropriate for these seeds as they may slip out of the holes in something bigger. This sort of feeder will also ensure that the food is completely appropriate year round as the birds can only take small amounts out at a time. Therefore small chicks won’t be likely to choke on the food if the parents choose to provide it.
It’s important to keep bird feeders clean by washing them regularly. This can be made easier by using cleaning brushes. If you choose to feed birds they can become reliant so ensure that you keep feeding them and gradually reduce the amount of food before holidays so the birds don’t miss you too much!
Otherwise, get your binoculars ready and sit tight to enjoy the sight of birds getting their fill of those tasty sunflower seeds!