Attract Cardinals To Your Yard By Filling Your Feeder With These Seeds

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The northern cardinal is an iconic bird that's easy to identify and a pleasure to watch. With their sweet chirps and interesting behaviors like seed sharing, it's no surprise that many people look for more ways to attract cardinals to their yards. While there are plenty of options for turning your garden into a sanctuary for your feathered friends, such as adding the right type of plants to attract a variety of birds, one of the best places to start is your feeder.

Cardinals have a diverse diet. For the most part, they enjoy a variety of seeds and fruit. However, they also eat insects, especially as nestlings. Despite having a voracious appetite for most things in your backyard, one seed particularly appeals to northern cardinals: The black oil sunflower seed. Another fan-favorite is the safflower seed.

Choosing the right seeds for your bird feeders can make or break your opportunity to see some species. While cardinals aren't nearly as picky as some other birds, adding their favorite seeds to your feeder can be a great way to encourage more of these vibrant flyers to flock to your yard.

Black oil sunflower seeds are one of the northern cardinal's favorite foods. Nutritionally dense with an ease-to-crack shell and plenty of fat, these seeds check all the boxes for cardinals, as well as for many other species that love them. However, there is one potential downside to keep in mind, and that's the mess. If you don't mind cleaning leftover hulls, you can purchase black sunflower seeds alone to fill your feeders or opt for a blend like the Audubon Park cardinal blend that combines black sunflower seeds with their other favorite snack: safflower seeds.

Like black sunflower seeds, safflower seeds offer an abundance of nutrients for northern cardinals. They're rich in both protein and fat, providing cardinals with the energy they need. As an added bonus, squirrels seem to hate their bitter taste. However, some birdwatchers find that certain birds don't like safflower seeds at all, including some sparrows and starlings. While this may not be the case for your backyard birds, it's important to keep in mind when choosing the right bird seed mix.

Picking out the right seeds for your bird feeder is only part of the process of attracting more cardinals and other species to your yard. You also want to pay close attention to the bird feeder you're offering, taking the extra steps to ensure that your bird feeder is a safe choice with no gaps for birds to get stuck. Favorable seed blends aren't the only ways you can attract cardinals to your yard either. You can also install a birdbath in the right location (think twice about putting that birdbath in direct sunlight) and even set up nesting boxes during the breeding season.