Imagine waking up, enjoying a cup of coffee, and watching the birds flit around outside your window. We don’t always want the Colorado wildlife creeping into our backyards, but birds are beautiful, peaceful, and enjoyable to watch. While it seems very simple, there’s actually more to bird feeding than meets the eye! The feeder and type of seed can greatly impact what birds you see in your yard. Not sure how to get started? Keep reading for some beginner bird feeding tips.
Black-Oil Sunflower seed, which is sold at Ace Fort Collins, is a great seed to start with. It’s one of the most popular types of birdseed because so many birds will eat it. This seed attracts cardinals, chickadees, finches, sparrows, and even blue jays. If it is spilled on the ground, birds such as quail, pheasants, and turkeys will happily eat it up. Additionally, it has good nutritional value. Some birdseed mixes contain cracked corn or millet, mostly to be used as filler. These seeds are less expensive but have less nutrients for birds and are less versatile.
The bird feeder you choose will also depend on what seed you’re putting in it, and what type of birds you want to attract. If going with the black-oil sunflower seed feed, a platform or tray feeder will work best. The seeds are too large for most mesh or tube feeders. If you already have a mesh or tube feeder, it may be best to use nyjer seed or another small type of seed.
Looking for more reasons to attract backyard birds? They aren’t just pretty to look at … they serve many purposes and offer great benefits to your yard. Birds will clean up dead animals and eat mosquitoes. Some species also increase pollination. When you bring more birds to your yard with feeders, they are bound to munch on some of the bugs around your home, too!
If you still have a few questions about bird feeding and aren’t sure which type of seed or feeder would work best for your home, we’d be thrilled to help you! Certain seeds are on sale now during our spring sale (until March 11). Stop on by Ace Hardware of Fort Collins and we’ll walk you through your many options.
