What do birds want? Different birds have their own favorite meals, but sunflower seeds are the most popular with seed-eaters, according to research by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That’s important news for bird enthusiasts who want to attract a variety of wild birds to their backyard feeders. And, it explains why sunflower seed is the major ingredient in Wild Bird Center seed mixes. There are a wide variety of seed mixes to choose from. But most mixes are not appealing to wild birds. The Wild Bird Center Store Owners explain the difference between bargain-brand and commercial seeds and how to select seeds your wild birds want to eat: Check the label first. Smart shoppers are used to checking the label when they buy food for their families these days. Birders should do the same when they buy seed mixes. If you want to attract a variety of birds to your feeders, stay away from bargain mixes that contain oats, cereals or “mixed grains.” Most wild birds shun these ingredients, and mixed grains are likely “filler.” Avoid fillers. Bargain-brand bird seed mixes contain “filler” seeds that add weight to the bag, but end up in a pile under your bird feeder because�simply put�birds know what they like. Birds often sweep their bills through seed and dump the ones they don’t want on to the ground. Even ground-feeding birds might ignore the spilled seed. Select “clean” bags of food. Most commercial seed is 94 to 95 percent clean. That might sound pretty clean, but such a 40-pound bag of seed may include over two pounds of inedible material�more debris that will find its way to the ground below your feeder. Wild Bird Center seed is 99 percent clean by weight. Vendors are required to sift the seed three times to remove empty shells, sticks, leaves and other debris commonly found in bargain seed bags. Unlike most bargain-brand seed, Wild Bird Center seed is not sprayed with oil to keep dust down. And quality control insures that no “reclaimed” seed swept off the mill floor finds its way into a bag of Wild Bird Center seed. The Wild Bird Center is a specialty retail shop located throughout the United States , offering a complete line of products to help residents enjoy wild birds and foster a healthy backyard habitat. Its top-quality birdseed and exclusive seed blends are field-tested and proven to attract a variety of birds. In addition to an extensive selection of feeders, birdbaths, nest boxes and other bird feeding products, the store offers a variety of nature-oriented gifts and books, and optics for spotting songbirds on the bird feeder or hawks migrating overhead. Founded by George Petrides, the Wild Bird Center retail concept started in 1985 with a single store in Cabin John, Maryland , a suburb of Washington , D.C. Now a retail franchise, headquartered in Glen Echo, Maryland , Wild Bird Centers of America, Inc. has grown to nearly 100 Wild Bird Center and Wild Bird Crossing stores throughout the United States and Canada . Each Wild Bird Center and Crossing serves as a valuable community resource and provides demonstrations, children’s programs, and a variety of educational events.
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