Feeding Backyard Birds

By now, you are likely wondering how to discourage Blackbirds and Grackles.

To discourage Blackbirds and Grackles without compromising your mixed seed, keep the seed in your bird feeders.

When mixed seed falls to the ground, (which happens frequently) this may still give them reason to feed on the ground below the bird feeders.

My recommendation to discourage Blackbirds and Grackles is to avoid ground feed altogether.

Moreover, ground feed (which contains millet, cracked corn, and fillers like wheat) draws Blackbirds and Grackles to your backyard, but gives little benefit to the backyard birds you love to feed.

In fact, numerous online resources encourage the use of other seeds.

What seeds then, then are recommended for feeding backyard birds in spring (and in fact, tear-round…)?

•  
  Black Oil Sunflower Seed :
  

  The best seed for attracting birds to your feeders! Black oil sunflower seeds is Duncraft’s top pick for all-purpose feeding!

  More oil and kernel, with softer shells than larger sunflower seeds. Black oil sunflower seeds attract a wide variety of birds. Regular visitors may include common species such as Chickadees, Tree Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, American Goldfinches, Tufted Titmice, Mourning Doves, Nuthatches, Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens and House Finches.

  Irregular visitors such as Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finches, Pine Siskins, Redpolls and Crossbills also enjoy black oil sunflower seeds.

  5 lb. bags. Details at Duncraft.

• 
  Safflower Seed :
  

  Anti-squirrel seed! Squirrels don’t like the bitter taste of safflower, but it attracts many birds such as cardinals, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice and grosbeaks.
  
  5 lb. bags. Details at Duncraft.

• 
  Nyjer seed :
  

  Finches simply can’t resist Nyjer seed! This is the seed to buy if you want to see flocks of beautiful goldfinches! This high-oil seed also readily attracts siskins, redpolls, house finches, purple finches, as well as chickadees and juncos.
  
  5 lb. bags. Details at Duncraft.

Smaller bird feeders are popular among birders for attracting smaller birds such as Chickadees and Finches. They are trusted for deterring large birds like Blackbirds and Grackles while accommodating the small birds you love to feed.

Rely on the following bird feeders:

• 
  Duncraft Metal Selective
  caged tube bird feeder

Designed to screen out larger birds
 

• 
  Duncraft Cling-a-Wing
  globe bird feeder

Designed with no perches – instinctive to clinging birds such as Chickadees and Goldfinches
 

• 
  Droll Yankees Dipper Squirrel Proof
  Squirrel proof tube bird feeder

Perches collapse with the weight of larger birds.

On the other hand, if you want to attract larger birds such as Cardinals and Grosbeaks, large bird feeders are popular among birders for attracting such favorite backyard birds.

However, the large rims and perches on them attract not only the birds you love, but also Blackbirds and Grackles.

For this reason, squirrel proof and big bird proof feeders are trusted to discourage Blackbirds and Grackles as well as Squirrels.

To attract backyard birds such as Cardinals and Grosbeaks, and still discourage Blackbirds and Grackles, rely on the following bird feeders:
 

• 
  Squirrel Buster Plus
  Duncraft’s Best Selling Bird Feeder

Tube feeder designed with a metal rim that is weight-sensitive
 

• 
  Underneath Mini Squirrel Proof
  Patented, Underneath Bird Feeder

Designed for smaller birds to feed underneath on tiny perch
 

• 
  Absolute II Squirrel Proof Feeder
  Duncraft’s most popular squirrel-proof feeder

Designed with a weight-sensitive outer rim

You can accomplish such without discouraging the many backyard birds you love.

Once you are free from the frustrations of Blackbirds and Grackles, feeding backyard birds in spring is simple, easy, and more relaxing and fun for you and your family.

I hope that with my recommendations, you will have fewer frustrations and spend more of your time sitting back and enjoying your backyard birds.

- Craig Curtis