Bird Feed and Bird Feeder Guide by Bird Species

Northern Cardinal

Sunflower, safflower, Nutra Safflower, peanuts, insects, cracked corn, white millet, melon seeds, raisins.

Ground, platform or hopper feeders, tube feeder with a tray.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, safflower, grape jelly, sugar water, insects, peanuts, raisins.

Platform, hopper or tube feeders with perches & trays.

Indigo Bunting

White millet, chopped peanuts, pecan meats, insects, thistle.

Ground, platform, or hopper feeders.

Evening Grosbeak

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, safflower, insects, apple seed, peanuts, melon seeds.

Platform, hopper or tube feeders.

Pine Grosbeak

Mountain ash berries, cranberries, pine seeds, sunflower, apple slices, samaras of ash & maple tree, insects.

Ground or platform feeder out in the open.

Purple Finch

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, safflower, thistle, insects, peanuts, suet mixtures, white millet.

High hanging platform, hopper or tube feeder.

House Finch

Sunflower,Nutra Safflower, safflower,  thistle, white millet, fruits, nutmeats, insects, suet & suet mixtures.

Ground, hopper, thistle, tube or window feeder.

Common Redpoll

Sunflower hearts, Nutra Safflower,, thistle, suet, insects.

Ground, platform, hopper, tube, thistle & window feeder.

Pine Siskin

Thistle, sunflower hearts,Nutra Safflower, white millet, insects, ashes, salt.

Platform, tube, thistle or window feeder.

American Goldfinch

Nutra Safflower, Thistle, sunflower hearts, sunflower, insects, weed seeds, cracked nutmeats.

Platform, hopper, thistle, tube & window feeder.

White-winged & Red Crossbill

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, thistle, nutmeats, pine seeds, insects, salt.

Ground, platform, thistle & tube feeder.

Rufous-sided Towhee

 Sunflower, white millet, thistle, grapes, insects, suet & suet mixtures.

Ground or low platform feeder near brush or brush pile.

Dark-eyed Junco

White millet, cracked corn, sunflower hearts, insects, peanuts.Nutra Safflower,

Ground or low platform feeder.

American Tree Sparrow

 Sunflower hearts, white millet, insects, cracked corn.Nutra Safflower,

Ground, platform or tube feeder with tray.

Chipping Sparrow

Insects, sunflower hearts, peanut hearts, grass seed, white millet.

Ground or low platform feeder.

White-throated/White-crowned Sparrow

White millet, cracked corn, sunflower hearts, thistle, insects, peanut hearts.Nutra Safflower,

Ground platform or tube feeder with tray.

Fox Sparrow

Sunflower, white millet, suet, cracked corn, insects.

Ground feeder.

Song Sparrow

Sunflower, white millet, thistle, peanut hearts, walnut meats, insects.

Ground or low platform feeder.

Snow Bunting

Oat, groats, cracked corn, white millet, insects.

Ground feeder out in the open.

Ring-necked Pheasant

Corn, sunflower, safflower, oats, groats, insects, Nutra Safflower,

Throw feed on the ground. Clear area of snow.

Duck & Geese (Mallard, Wood Duck, Canada Goose)

Corn, acorns, pond weeds, insects.

Throw feed on the ground.

Purple Martin, Tree & Barn Swallow

Flying insects, chicken egg shells (crushed).

Ground feeder.

Mourning Dove

Cracked corn, white millet, safflower, Nutra Safflower, thistle.

Ground, platform or hopper feeder.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Flower nectar, insects, sugar water (4 parts water & 1 part sugar).

 Hanging & window hummingbird feeders.

Northern Flicker

Suet, fat mixtures, meat scraps, ants, cracked walnuts & pecans, orange & apple slices, corn, cherries, grapes.

Suet, log or hanging feeder.

Pileated Woodpecker

Suet & suet mixtures, peanuts, cracked corn, insects, ants.

Suet or platform feeder.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Suet & suet mixtures, raisins, cracked corn, peanuts, sunflower, orange & apple slices, sugar water, insects.

Suet, platform, hopper, log or hummingbird feeder.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Sunflower, cracked corn, raisins, nutmeats, suet, insects, sugar water.

Ground, platform, suet, log or hummingbird feeder.

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Suet & suet mixtures, grape jelly, insects, sugar water.

Suet, platform, log or hummingbird feeder.

Downy Woodpecker & Hairy Woodpecker

Insects, suet & suet mixtures, peanuts, sunflower hearts, peanut butter, cracked corn, coconut, fat mixtures, nutmeats.

Suet, platform, log or hanging feeder.

Gray Jay

Suet & suet mixtures, fat mixtures, banana, grapes, insects.

Ground or platform will take food where it is placed.

Blue Jay

Insects, corn, sunflower, suet & suet mixtures, peanuts with or without shells, cracked nutmeats.

 Nutra Safflower,

Ground or platform will take food where it is placed.

Common Crow

Corn, suet, meat scraps, grain, carrion, insects.

Ground or platform will take food where it is placed.

Black-capped Chickadee

Sunflower, safflower,Nutra Safflower, suet & suet mixtures, peanuts, thistle, peanut butter, insects, sugar water.

Ground, platform or all types of feeders.

Tufted Titmouse

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, suet & suet mixtures, nutmeats, insects, safflower, sugar water.

Ground, platform, tube, log or hummingbird feeder.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sunflower, Nutra Safflower, safflower, suet & suet mixtures, peanuts, peanut butter, insects, pumpkin seeds.

Ground, platform, suet, peanut, window feeder.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sunflower,Nutra Safflower,  suet & suet mixtures, peanuts, nutmeats, melon seeds, pine seeds, insects.

Platform, tube, suet or peanut feeder.

Brown Creeper

Suet & suet mixtures, peanut butter, peanut hearts, insects.

Feed should be placed in bark crevices.

House Wren

Suet & suet mixtures, pecan meats, insects.

Ground feeder.

Gray Catbird

Raisins, currants, peanut butter, insects, banana, peanuts, apples, jelly suet.

Ground, platform, hopper or hummingbird feeder.

Brown Thrasher

Cracked corn, suet & suet mixtures, raisins, peanuts, sunflower, orange halves, white millet, insects.

Ground, platform feeder.

American Robin

Nutra Safflower, Worms, insects, apple slices, raisins, grapes, berries, cherries.

Ground, platform or hopper feeder.

Eastern Bluebird

Peanuts, pecan meats, suet & suet mixtures, raisins, insects, apple, berries, mealworms.

Platform, hopper, suet, window feeder.

Golden-crowned Kinglet & Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Suet & suet mixtures, insects, peanut butter, cracked nuts

Ground, platform, hopper, suet feeder.

Cedar Waxwing

Insects, berries, raisins, apple slices.

Platform feeder.

Red-winged Blackbird

Insects, cracked corn, white millet, sunflower, nuts, thistle, safflower.Nutra Safflower,

Ground, platform, hopper feeder.

Eastern & Western Meadowlark

White millet, cracked corn, sunflower, grass seeds, insects.

Ground or slightly elevated platform feeder.

Northern Oriole

Insects, fruit, nectar, grape jelly, white millet, orange halves, grapes, cooked raisins, sugar water (4parts water, one part sugar).

Oriole feeders.

Common Grackle

Sunflower, peanuts, corn, oats, white millet, suet, insects, grubs.

Ground, platform or hopper feeder.

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cracked corn, rice, white millet, sunflower, peanuts, pecan meats, insects.

Ground, platform or hopper feeder.