If you enjoy birdwatching, you may be interested in attracting more native birds to your yard. Colorful cardinals are always a delight to see, and you can easily entice them to visit your yard by using black oil sunflower seeds.
While cardinals also enjoy other types of sunflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds are the best choice for encouraging them to nest in your yard. These seeds have a higher oil content and are richer in fat, providing more benefits to birds. Additionally, they contain more vitamins and nutrients that are essential for a wild cardinal’s diet, and they are easier for small birds like cardinals to crack open compared to other seed varieties.
How to prevent your black oil sunflower seeds from making a mess
One common issue with bird feeders filled with sunflower seeds is the mess created when birds crack open the shells and scatter them on the ground. To avoid this, you can use shelled sunflower seeds or place a drop cloth or container under the feeder to catch the discarded shells. Another option is to shell the seeds yourself before filling the feeder.
If you choose to shell the seeds, soaking them in water can make the process easier. You can also use a rolling pin to crack open the shells in large batches. While black oil sunflower seeds have thin shells that are easy to crack, they are smaller in size, which can make shelling them by hand more challenging.
Adding other seeds to the mix — or not
Whether you should add other types of seeds to your bird feeder depends on the birds you want to attract. While black oil sunflower seeds are popular among many bird species, they may be too tough for smaller birds to crack open. Mixing black oil sunflower seeds with other seed varieties can help attract a wider range of birds to your yard.
You can also opt for bird seed mixes that include shelled black oil sunflowers to save on costs. If you want to attract cardinals and other birds, consider adding small berries and cracked corn to your feeder along with the black oil sunflower seeds.
