The Truth About Sunflower Seed For Birds

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  • Опубліковано 19 лис 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 24

  • @kellylott9296
    @kellylott9296 2 роки тому +2

    I can't thank you enough for this video. I have been feeding my chipmunk and squirrel friend black oil sunflower seeds (also now birds unfortunately as they steal from my friends...) Anyways.. I didn't know what to do. I've been buying a 50 pound bag of dull seeds with lots of stems and seeds.
    And something was telling me to buy the shiny seeds that comes in a forty pound bag. I hate that they are dull. I hate that there is so much stuck and stem... But it's ten extra pounds! But thanks to your video I think I know the right thing is to buy the forty pound bag. I can only get one a month. So that's why I got the fifty... But this video makes me feel like I was wrong for that. This time I will buy the better seeds. Thank you for your help that I really really REALLY needed today as I'm about to go but their food. Thank you!

  • @baneverything5580
    @baneverything5580 9 місяців тому +1

    This year my plan is to plant as many sunflowers around here as possible. I have several fields nearby covered in goldenrod and grass.

  • @robertw.7302
    @robertw.7302 3 роки тому +1

    Good to know, Mark! I like to feed safflower seeds to wild birds during the winter months, house sparrows don't care for them much.

    • @MarksBackyardBirds
      @MarksBackyardBirds  3 роки тому +2

      Absolutely, our nickname for safflower has been "the problem solving seed"

    • @EireFirst2024
      @EireFirst2024 2 роки тому

      Aw then what do I give my sparrows?
      They need food TOO?
      Thanks 🙂

  • @sandrabuchanan6512
    @sandrabuchanan6512 5 місяців тому +1

    I love birds so much but I’m now on very limited money, I’ve been buying Pennington Black oil Sunflower seed @40lb I thought it was good quality but I’ve noticed it’s just laying on the ground. So I don’t know what to do now. Thank you for your video.

  • @CommentsAllowed
    @CommentsAllowed 2 роки тому +1

    Since my goal is to attract birds, having them sorting through seeds keeps them around longer. And the seeds they drop are not completely worthless as eventually other birds, younger birds will eat them. Even if one were to be empty, it still attracts them to eventually check it out.
    I have tried sunflower seeds without the hull of them. I was surprised that the birds didn't go for them first. I thought it was an easy no brainer for them. Eventually Cardinals took them.
    Blue Jays love the almonds. They will take 4 or 5 at a time. My theory about Blue Jays and their migration is that if they have stored enough food for the winter, they will stick around. So if you make sure they load up on food, you might get them to stay around during the winter time.
    Walnuts are another interesting one. I don't exactly know who took them all. I did notice what I think was a House Sparrow breaking apart the walnuts and eating the crumbs.

  • @tman111195
    @tman111195 2 роки тому +5

    Couldn’t disagree more Been feeding our bird residents for over 30 years, what my local veterinarian says is “if the birds are hungry or thirsty they will fulfill their need”. We do notice they pick out the occasional sticks n stems from the seed but if you feel the need to spend more money on what you call a better quality seed then that’s your prerogative. It’s bottom line a tale of survival, if they’re hungry there’s NO pickiness from our experience, maybe the bird type and needs are different in your neck o’ the woods? When I refill the feeders it’s quite noticeable that the hulls are empty with little to no waste. Also to note… birds aren’t perfect as in they drop an occasional seed because they didn’t have firm grip or maybe the sheen of the slippery black oil on seed was the cause.

    • @CommentsAllowed
      @CommentsAllowed 2 роки тому +2

      It's more like the good stuff is picked through first. Then the rest is eventually eaten. Unless there are ones that are completely empty. So I guess you can't really speak to it unless you have cracked them open yourself. The existence of empty hulls is not evidence than there was anything in them in the first place. That's like seeing someone coming into a building with an umbrella. That doesn't mean it was raining. Unless you see the rain for yourself, it would just be hearsay.
      What I noticed as I can read the minds of birds 🙄, is that birds at the feeders will pick through until they find something they like. Some birds stay and eat and continue for more. Some birds grab and fly away with the food. There will be smaller birds that hang out under the bird feeders and eat the stuff that is dropped. I don't know if some of the dropping is intentional as to feed the younger birds underneath, or it is just a symbiotic relationship between old and young. I will say I have witnessed older birds grab seeds from the feeders and fly down and give it to a younger bird. I assume this younger bird is the its' offspring.

    • @tman111195
      @tman111195 2 роки тому +2

      @@CommentsAllowed All the more reason to NOT spend a premium on seed. Like I said I’ve been doin this awhile n don’t see or feel the need to spend more money on what CLAIMS to be a better seed. In my opinion it’s totally unnecessary, it can be sugar coated to meet the narrative but we’ve not had an issue buying the cheaper bird feed in 30+ years…

    • @CommentsAllowed
      @CommentsAllowed 2 роки тому +1

      @@tman111195 Depends on your goal. Are you focused on attracting birds, or feeding birds? Maybe both?

    • @tman111195
      @tman111195 2 роки тому +1

      @@CommentsAllowed Feeding is attracting

  • @JohnWood-tk1ge
    @JohnWood-tk1ge 10 місяців тому +1

    Interesting I hate to admit it but I feed black oil from a national farm chain store initials TS just because of where I live,convenience. Since over ninety percent of my bird feed is black oil I will have to start shopping.

    • @MarksBackyardBirds
      @MarksBackyardBirds  10 місяців тому

      It is the best single see there is and it totally understand. Shipping is killer on bird seed. Support local.

  • @insideimgold
    @insideimgold 8 місяців тому +1

    I bought some sunflower seeds hoping to limit the black birds and other large birds that would eat the entire cage in 48hrs. But it’s been 2 days and no birds.. are they on vacation? I don’t know if it’s the quality or they are mad because I changed their food. ☹️

    • @MarksBackyardBirds
      @MarksBackyardBirds  8 місяців тому

      Hard to know. There may be some natural food supply that became available. I assume you are talking about black oil sunflower. It is the most widely accepted seed and they should be back to it soon.

  • @Jamie-cz2xu
    @Jamie-cz2xu 3 місяці тому +2

    Why does this guy look so much like george lucas

  • @lloydbrannan1002
    @lloydbrannan1002 7 місяців тому

    Price is something that matters to me bang for the buck you might say. Sure I am not going to buy worthless seeds but I might try it first. I haven't found any seeds that were worthless when it come to sunflower seeds. I always buy the cheapest with none of it going to waste. There is always just a pile of empty shells when the birds are done with it. And there are always birds at the bottom of the feeder doing clean up. My deer and squirrel feed has many of the things you say birds don't like but birds are always in it eating there fill. I would even buy it straight from the famer birds don't care.

  • @CoilyKoil
    @CoilyKoil Рік тому +1

    They L O V E them!