Bird food or bird seed is food (often varieties of

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s, nuts, and/or dried fruits) intended for consumption by wild and domestic birds. While most bird food is fed to commercial fowl (such as

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

), bird food is also used to feed pet birds or provide a feeding site for wild birds. The various types of bird food reflect the species of bird that can be fed, whether they are carnivores, herbivores,

insectivores A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores wer ...

, nectarivores, etc. Bird food can also differ by the feeding strategies employed by beaks in cracking the seed coat and obtaining the meat of the seed. Black-oil sunflower seeds attract the widest variety of birds, and are commonly used in backyard bird feeders. However, other varieties of seed can help attract specific types of birds to gardens and backyards. In general, mixtures that contain red millet, oats, and other "fillers" are not attractive to most birds, and can lead to waste as the birds sort through the mix, as well as the potential for fungal and bacterial growth. While popular,

bird feeder A birdfeeder, bird table, or tray feeder are devices placed outdoors to supply bird food to birds (bird feeding). The success of a bird feeder in attracting birds depends upon its placement and the kinds of foods offered, as different species h ...

s carry potential risks for the birds that feed there, such as disease,

malnutrition Malnutrition occurs when an organism gets too few or too many nutrients, resulting in health problems. Specifically, it is "a deficiency, excess, or imbalance of energy, protein and other nutrients" which adversely affects the body's tissues a ...

, and predation by animals. Researchers recommend that bird feeders be disinfected every time they are refilled.

Types

Natural

Seed

Black

sunflower seed The sunflower seed is the seed of the sunflower ('' Helianthus annuus''). There are three types of commonly used sunflower seeds: linoleic (most common), high oleic, and sunflower oil seeds. Each variety has its own unique levels of monounsat ...

s are often used in bird feeders, since they attract a wide variety of birds, have a high ratio of seed material to shell, and are high in fat content (which is nutritionally important for winter birds). Other common bird seeds include

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesgoldfinches and redpolls.

Millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...

for

sparrow Sparrow may refer to: Birds * Old World sparrows, family Passeridae * New World sparrows, family Passerellidae * two species in the Passerine family Estrildidae: ** Java sparrow ** Timor sparrow * Hedge sparrow, also known as the dunnock or hedg ...

s and juncos as well as safflower for cardinals

Non-seed

Suet is often given to insect-eating birds like nuthatches and

woodpecker Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. ...

s. Artificial

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

– essentially sugar water – attracts

hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

s. Bread and kitchen scraps are often fed to ducks and

gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...

s. However, this can lead to nutrient deficiencies and increased defecation for these birds. Chickens are commonly fed maize, wheat,

barley Barley (''Hordeum vulgare''), a member of the grass family, is a major cereal grain grown in temperate climates globally. It was one of the first cultivated grains, particularly in Eurasia as early as 10,000 years ago. Globally 70% of barley pr ...

sorghum ''Sorghum'' () is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the grass family (Poaceae). Some of these species are grown as cereals for human consumption and some in pastures for animals. One species is grown for grain, while many othe ...

and

milling Milling may refer to: * Milling (minting), forming narrow ridges around the edge of a coin * Milling (grinding), breaking solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting in a mill * Milling (machining), a process of using rota ...

by-product A by-product or byproduct is a secondary product derived from a production process, manufacturing process or chemical reaction; it is not the primary product or service being produced. A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be consid ...

s, in a mixture traditionally called chicken scratch. Pet parrots are fed fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts, in addition to seed. These seeds and non-seed supplies are commonly obtained as by-products on farms, but can also be bought from independent retailers.

Commercial

Non Farm

Commercial bird food is widely available for feeding wild and domesticated birds, both seed combinations and pellets. When feeding wild birds the

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales and in Scotland. It was founded in 1889. It works to promote conservation and protection of birds and the wider environment throug ...

(RSPB) suggests that it be done year-round, with different mixes of nutrients being offered each season. Selections should have additional fat content in the winter months, and additional proteins in the form of nuts, seeds, and dried worms in summer, when birds are changing their plumage and may be

moulting In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often, but not always, an outer ...

Farm

Farm A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

ed birds fed commercial bird food typically are given very specific, scientifically designed, pre-blended feed. Examples of commercial bird food for chickens include chick starter medicated crumbles, chick grower crumbles, egg layer mash, egg layer pellet, egg layer crumbles, egg producer pellet, and boilermaker med crumbles. Pellet crumbles are often prepared for tiny chicks. Mash is more finely ground.

References

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External links

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Food Preferences Chart
Poultry farming Bird feeding Pet foods