Black-oil sunflower seeds are best, as they have a high meat-to-shell ratio and fat content and are thin-shelled enough for small birds to crack open. Striped sunflower seeds are larger and have thicker seed coats and proportionately less meat per seed.
 Add other seeds to your feeders, according to the types of birds in your area. Most tree-dwelling birds are attracted to sunflower seeds, but certain varieties prefer other types of food.Jays like sunflower seeds, suet, corn, millet, and milo.
Woodpeckers like sunflower seeds and suet.
Doves and other ground-feeding birds are attracted to white millet or red milo.
 Commercial mixes are often a blend of sunflower seeds and cheaper, “filler” seeds like oats, wheat, flax, or buckwheat seeds. Birds will pick out the sunflower seeds, and leave the rest to spoil. It is usually cheaper and more effective to mix your own feed, because there is less waste. Less waste seed also makes your feeders easier to clean.


For a simple home-made bird feed, purchase 25 pounds of black-oil sunflower seed, 10 pounds of cracked corn, and 10-pounds of white proso millet.
Pour the seed into a clean metal trash can, and blend the mixture with a broom or rake handle., Keep seed in a cool, dry place, in clean metal trash can and secure the lid to keep rodents out. Check your seed for mold on a regular basis, and dispose of any contaminated food. Try not to buy too much seed at one time, to avoid expensive waste.
Try sunflower seeds.This seed attracts the greatest variety of birds in most North American regions.
Feed a variety of foods for different birds.
Mix your own bird food.
Find a good place to store your bird food.
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