Mar 17, 2016 | Featured Web Article

Bird Feeding Tip: Try Sunflower Hearts

Sunflower hearts may be more expensive, but they last longer at a backyard feeder—and they are more accessible to birds with weaker bills.
Share:

If I were to pick only one food to offer at my feeding station, it would be sunflower hearts. Yes, they're expensive, but a bag of sunflower hearts (no shells, just the meat of the seed) lasts more than three times as long as a bag of seeds with shells. Not only this, but every species that comes to my feeding station eats them. Being hull-less, hearts are accessible to weaker-billed birds, like siskins, redpolls and Carolina wrens. Goldfinches love them, too.

Enjoying this feeding tip? Subscribe to Watching Backyard Birds and receive a heaping helping of backyard content year-round. It's the only magazine in North America devoted entirely to backyard birds! »



About Bill Thompson, III

Bill Thompson, III, was the team captain for Watching Backyard Birds from its inception 23 years ago through his death on March 25, 2019. So much of what he wrote is timeless and remains informative, helpful, and inspiring.

What do you think? Tell us!

comments powered by Disqus

New On This Site

The Latest Comments

  • Re: These Holiday Gift Ideas Are for the Backyard Birds
    How long do other seeds stay fresk? Sunflower seeds? Millet? Safflower?
    by Sue, Sat, 06 Feb 2021
  • Re: How do Birds Keep Warm in Cold Winter Weather?
    I understand that the ducks' blood vessel arrangement in their feet is to provide the benefits of the counter-current heat exchanger mechanism; returning cold venous blood from the feet is warmed by the descending warm arterial blood, preventing excess heat loss by the feet and avoiding cold blood from chilling the body. This means that the feet are cold, not warm.
    by Frank Barch, Sat, 02 Jan 2021
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have the same situation. The feeder is attached to the middle of a large picture window that goes ceiling to floor w/ no ledge or sill for animals to climb or balance. Yet every morning all the sunflower seeds have been cracked open and hulls left. Any ideas what it is?
    by Liza Fox, Sun, 15 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have a bird feeder that sticks to my window and I've been hearing noises against the window at night right now its going on. But whatever it is it is aware of me. And when I get to window it leaves.I can't imagine a squirrel or mouse or possom being able to get at it. ...So as I was reading this article im to assume no bird eats at night. Or no birds will eat at night. Why is that? Then im also thinking of a sinereo that could a lost confused bird eat at night. This eating thing is watching meI turn out the light go there noise dissappears..Thank you.
    by Nosferatu, Thu, 05 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have metal baffles (cones) on my pole for my bird feeders. Something is still tempting them at night. What else could it be? Deer???
    by Ella Spencer Connolly, Thu, 27 Aug 2020