Our exotic birds need species-appropriate food in their bowls. But domestic wild birds and garden birds also depend on people to feed them. And not only in the cold season: various factors such as insect mortality and overly cleared gardens and field landscapes mean that insect hunters and seed eaters alike can no longer find enough food.

By doing a little research, you will find it easier to pick the right bird food from the range of specially labelled grain mixtures for finches, parrots, parakeets and canaries. But what do blackbirds, tits, etc. eat? In the bird world, a basic distinction is made between soft feeders, mixed feeders and grain feeders. Soft feeders feed mainly on insects and fruits, while grain feeders need plant seeds. Mixed feeders are opportunists and eat both plant and animal-based food. A wide range of foods can be provided with different types of bird food:

• Nuts, peanut bits and sunflower seeds are readily consumed by tits, woodpeckers, jays, sparrows, starlings and a number of other birds. The smaller the beak, the finer the food provided should be. Tip: sunflower hearts are popular among almost all wild birds. In addition, they do not cause any waste.
• Oat flakes, preferably rolled in suet, are consumed by almost all wild birds.
• Energy balls are popular with tits, but blackbirds and robins will not spurn the falling crumbs either. Use an energy ball holder to feed energy balls: plastic nets can become a trap. Peanut butter is also a popular choice for birds.
• Sultanas and small pieces of apple and pear are ideal bird food for blackbirds, thrushes and other soft feeders.
• Seeds, both very fine seeds like poppy as well as millet and hemp seeds, are the perfect food for finches and hedge sparrows.
• Insects: dried insects such as crickets are a delicacy for robins, blackbirds and other insectivores. It may take a short time for the birds to identify the motionless insects as food.

On cold days, birds have an increased energy requirement and rely on more high-fat food in the form of fat-rich food, energy balls, peanut butter, mealworms and the like. In spring and summer, vitamins and proteins are important: food with a high insect content. Protein is also added to many seasonal food mixtures in ground form.

Bird food should be stored in a dark, dry place and protected from pests such as food moths or mice. Fat-rich food must be stored in a cool place. If in doubt, you can check the freshness of grain feed by placing a few grains on kitchen paper that is kept damp. Fresh seed should germinate within a few days.

Discover wild bird food, parrot seed, budgerigar seed, parakeet seed, canary seed and more from well-known manufacturers such as MultiFit, JR Farm, Premiere or Vitakraft in our online shop.