Tools
Bird seed selector
Different birds want different food. Pick who you're hoping to see and we'll tell you the seed and feeder that actually brings them in — no guesswork, no wasted bags of mix. New to it all? That's exactly who this is for.
A bit of everything
- Best food
- Black-oil sunflower (the single best all-around seed)
- Feeder
- One tube + one hopper or platform
- Tip
- If you only buy one seed, make it black-oil sunflower — more species eat it than anything else. Skip cheap mixes heavy in red milo, which most birds toss aside.
What that looks like on the shelf
Compare all bird seed →New to feeding? Start with the bird seed guide and where to place a feeder.
Bird-to-seed cheat sheet
| Birds | Start with | Feeder |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches | Black-oil sunflower | Tube or hopper |
| Goldfinches | Fresh nyjer | Fine-port tube or mesh |
| Woodpeckers, nuthatches | Suet | Suet cage; tail prop helps woodpeckers |
| Blue jays | Whole peanuts, sunflower | Sturdy platform or hopper |
| Juncos, doves | Millet and sunflower | Ground or low platform |
If you want one low-risk starting point, use black-oil sunflower. Skip the cheapest filler-heavy mixes until you know which birds actually visit.