Birds are often hungry this time of year. For many of us, the sight of birds eating what we have provided for them is deeply satisfying: their joyful feathers and flight give a lift to our own winter-weary hearts. When we learn which foods are most appealing to different bird species we can give the birds already in our area a special treat, or we may attract more of a particular kind to our feeders. Either way, the birds will be happy!

Here is a list of the top three favorite foods of many common backyard bird species.

Pigeons, Doves: Millet, cracked corn, wheat.

Hummingbirds: Plant nectar, small insects, sugar solution.

Woodpeckers: Suet, meat scraps, sunflower hearts.

Jays: Peanuts, sunflower seed, suet.

Crows, Magpies, Nutcrackers: Meat scraps, suet, cracked corn.

Titmice, Chickadees: Peanut kernels, sunflower seeds, suet.

Nuthatches: Suet, suet mixes, sunflower hearts and seed.

Wrens, Creepers: Suet, suet mixes, peanut butter.

Mockingbirds, Thrashers, Catbirds: Halved apples, chopped fruits, baked goods.

Robins, Bluebirds, other Thrushes: Suet, suet mixes, mealworms.

Kinglets: Suet, suet mixes, baked goods.

Waxwings: Berries, chopped fruits, canned peas.

Warblers: Suet, suet mixes, fruits.

Tanagers: Suet, fruits, sugar solution.

Cardinals, Grosbeaks: Sunflower seed, safflower seed, cracked corn.

Towhees, Juncos: Millet, sunflower seed, cracked corn.

Sparrows, Buntings: Millet, sunflower hearts, black oil sunflower seed.

Orioles: Halved oranges, apples, berries.

Finches, Siskins: thistle (niger), sunflower hearts, black oil sunflower seed