Healthy and Green Living

Here are the general food preferences for the most common feeder birds of North America.

Although there are no guaranteed methods for attracting certain birds to your feeders, the presence of water, adequate habitat or cover, and the birds’ favorite foods will enhance the attractiveness of your yard. Foods are listed in approximate order of preference.

PIGEONS, DOVES
Millet, cracked corn, wheat, milo, thistle, buckwheat, sunflower seed, baked goods

HUMMINGBIRDS
Plant nectar, small insects, sugar solution

WOODPECKERS
Suet, meat scraps, sunflower hearts and seed, cracked corn, peanuts, fruits

JAYS
Peanuts, sunflower seed, suet, meat scraps, cracked corn, baked goods

CROWS, MAGPIES, NUTCRACKERS
Meat scraps, suet, cracked corn, peanuts, baked goods, leftovers, dog food

TITMICE, CHICKADEES
Peanut kernels, sunflower, suet

NUTHATCHES
Suet, suet mixes, sunflower hearts and seed, peanut kernels, peanut butter

WRENS, CREEPERS
Suet, suet mixes, peanut butter, peanut kernels, bread, fruit, millet (wrens)

MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS, CATBIRDS
Halved apples, chopped fruits, baked goods, suet, nutmeats, millet (thrashers), soaked raisins and currants, sunflower hearts

ROBINS, BLUEBIRDS, OTHER THRUSHES
Suet, suet mixes, mealworms, berries, chopped fruits, soaked raisins and currants, nutmeats, and sunflower hearts

KINGLETS
Suet, suet mixes, baked goods

WAXWINGS
Berries, chopped fruits, canned peas, currants, raisins

WARBLERS
Suet, suet mixes, fruits, baked goods, sugar solution, chopped nutmeats

TANAGERS
Suet, fruits, sugar solution, mealworms, baked goods

CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS, PYRRHULOXIAS
Sunflower seed, safflower seed, cracked corn, millet, fruit

TOWHEES, JUNCOS
Millet, sunflower seed, cracked corn, peanuts, baked goods, nutmeats

ORIOLES
Halved oranges, apples, berries, sugar solution, grape jelly, suet, suet mixes, soaked raisins and currants

FINCHES, SISKINS
Thistle (niger), sunflower hearts, black oil sunflower seed, millet, canary seed, fruits, peanut kernels, suet mixes
More on Nature & Wildlife (55 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3190 articles available)