Birds live on a variety of plant life - berries, buds, fruits, and seeds. The more variety provided, the greater number of species you will attract. Manicured flower beds and neat borders offer little to interest the hungry bird. The more informal and "wild" your garden, the more hospitable your table is considered.
Food should be available, as needed, all year long. This however, is unlikely if complete reliance is placed upon natural food sources. To be sure food is abundant during the winter, provide it in feeders. Fill them all winter and into the spring until natural growth has a chance to take over.
| BIRD |
PREFERRED FOOD |
READILY EATEN |
| Blackbirds |
Cracked Corn, Milo, Bread, Suet |
Millet, Suet, Breads, Cracked Corn, Nut Meats |
| Bluebirds |
Suet, Mealworms, Berries, Water |
Bread Products, Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal |
| Buntings |
Sunflower, Safflower |
Safflower, Fruits, Suet, Millet, Breads, Peanut Kernels |
| Cardinals |
Sunflower, Safflower |
Safflower, Fruits, Suet, Millet, Breads, Peanut Kernels |
| Chickadees |
Peanut Kernels, Sunflower |
Sunflower, Suet, Bread Products |
| Creepers |
Suet |
Sunflower, Nuts, Cracked Corn, Bread |
| Crows |
Meat Scraps, Suet |
Peanuts, Bread Products |
| Doves |
Millet |
Sunflower, Milo, Bread, Nuts, Cracked Corn, Thistle |
| Finches |
Thistle/Nyjer, Sunflower |
Hulled Sunflower, Millet, Fruits, Suet, Peanuts |
| Flycatchers |
Bees, Wasps & Ants |
Meal Worms |
| Goldfinches |
Thistle/Nyjer, Sunflower |
Hulled Sunflower, Millet, Fruits, Suet, Peanuts |
| Grosbeaks |
Sunflower, Safflower |
Safflower, Fruits, Suet, Millet, Breads, Peanut Kernels |
| Hummingbirds |
Plant Nectar, Small Insects |
Sugar Water, nectars |
| Jays |
Whole Peanuts,Peanut Kernels |
Sunflower, Suet, Bread Products, Cracked Corn |
| Juncos |
Millet, Sunflower |
Cracked Corn, Peanuts, Bread, Nut Meats |
| Kinglets |
Suet |
Bread Products |
| Magpies |
Meat Scraps, Suet |
Peanuts, Bread Products |
| Mockingbirds |
Halved Apples, Fruit |
Bread Products, Suet, Sunflower, Nuts |
| Nuthatches |
Suet |
Sunflower, Nuts, Cracked Corn, Bread |
| Orioles |
Sugar Water, Fruit Pieces |
Suet, Soft Raisins, Orange Halves |
| Owls |
Small mammals, small birds, lizards, snakes |
Water |
| Pheasants |
Cracked Corn |
Millet, Berries |
| Phoebes |
Bees, Wasps & Ants |
Meal Worms |
| Pigeons |
Millet |
Sunflower, Milo, Bread, Nuts, Cracked Corn, Thistle |
| Purple Martins |
Mosquitoes, beetles, flies, moths |
Insects |
| Quail |
Cracked Corn |
Millet, Berries |
| Raptors |
Small mammals, small birds, lizards, snakes |
Water |
| Roadrunners |
Meat Scraps |
Suet |
| Robins |
Suet, Mealworms, Berries, Water |
Bread Products, Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal |
| Siskins |
Thistle/Nyjer, Sunflower |
Hulled Sunflower, Millet, Fruits, Suet, Peanuts |
| Sparrows |
Millet, Peanut Kernels, Suet |
Bread Crumbs, Canary Seed, Sunflower |
| Starlings |
Cracked Corn, Milo, Bread, Suet |
Millet, Nut Meats |
| Tanagers |
Suet, Fruit |
Sugar Water, Mealworms, Bread Products |
| Thrashers |
Halved Apples, Fruit |
Bread Products, Suet, Sunflower, Nuts |
| Thrushes |
Suet, Mealworms, Berries, Water |
Bread Products, Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal |
| Titmice |
Peanut Kernels, Sunflower |
Sunflower, Suet, Bread Products |
| Towhees |
Millet, Sunflower |
Cracked Corn, Peanuts, Bread, Nut Meats |
| Warblers |
Suet, Water |
Fruit, Breads, Sugar Water, Nut Pieces |
| Waxwings |
Berries, Raisins |
Sliced Apples, Canned Peas, Currants |
| Woodpeckers |
Suet, Meat Scraps, Insects |
Fruit, Nuts, Sunflower, Sugar Water |
| Wrens |
Suet |
Peanut Butter, Bread Products, Apples |
