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black sunflower seeds

Welshviking
16/07/2011 22:35

Hi All,  As a relative newcomer to bird feeders i would just like a bit of advice / help. I have 9 feeders on my 2 feeding stations :-

2 with nuts

2 with no mess bird seed

2 with niger seed

1 with white sunflower hearts

1 with suet pellets (starlings go crazy)

and  1 with black sunflower seeds,

Going back to my question i picked the black sunflower seeds up from the local pet shop because they were cheap and i have not tried them before, problem is none of the birds seem interested in them, a couple of sparrows flew onto the black sunflower seed feeder then flew off in disgust, are they actually worth having or am i best replacing them with another type of food..................Many thanks Colin

Regards Colin

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  • 18/07/2011 19:08 in reply to IanH

    Ian H said:
    just a note about using oil on bird food, it can actually be problematic for wild birds if it gets on their feathers. Getting smeared in oil, even just a little bit, can reduce birds ability to keep out moisture which reduces their ability to keep warm. Its probably best to play it safe and not cover the seeds with oil.

    I am aware of this and I would hate anyone to think I go around smearing my bird food in loads of oil.

    What I once noticed was that the usual smooth feel of my black sunflower seeds had disappeared while they were out in my 'No-No' feeder and they all felt like really dry and scratchy seed casings. The birds had ignored them for quite a while. So I tipped them into a tub, put one tiny drop of oil in the palm of my hand, rubbed my hands together and rubbed my hands through the seed, just to make them feel slightly more smooth again, then the birds ate them all within 2 days. There should definitely never be any slick oiliness to the seeds, but they should be free flowing and smooth. Old ones or cheap ones can sometimes seem dry and scratchy, and the birds don't eat them.

    Best wishes Chris

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  • 09/10/2019 08:54
    Personally, I have found the best use for black sunflower seeds is... planting them in the soil to grow sunflowers!
    Yes, the sunflower seeds from the cheapest bird mix I ever used grew really well. The birds never like them but my children enjoyed them more - watching them grow, watering them and helping them stand up.

    Sunflower hearts are a winner in my garden.

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