House Finches are among the easier feeder birds to attract where they are already common. Black oil sunflower in a tube, hopper, or platform feeder is a strong starting point, but these social finches can arrive in groups and crowd a shared feeding station. If you want House Finches and American Goldfinches in the same … Read more
Northern Cardinals are one of the birds people most often want to see at a backyard feeder, and the good news is that they are not nearly as difficult to feed as they are sometimes made out to be. Sunflower seed, a feeder with enough room to land comfortably, nearby shrubs, and a little patience … Read more
Attracting birds without turning the feeder into an easy squirrel buffet usually takes more than one tactic. A good baffle can fail when a squirrel can jump around it, and a seed that discourages squirrels in one yard may be eaten in another. The most reliable approach is to combine smart placement, a properly installed … Read more
Safflower can discourage many squirrels, but it is not squirrel-proof seed. Some squirrels avoid it, while others will eat it, and the response can vary by individual animal and location. The most useful way to think about safflower is as a low-cost seed preference test: if squirrel pressure drops while the birds you want keep … Read more
Northern Cardinals eat both sunflower and safflower seed. Black oil sunflower is usually the stronger all-around attraction, while safflower’s practical advantage is that some squirrels, starlings, House Sparrows, and other competing visitors are less interested in it. That makes safflower useful when the birds you want are being crowded out, but it is a deterrence … Read more