Though they may pose some great dietary value and look like the most appealing of seed types, only an elite class of bird will choose to eat safflower seeds! The thick shells of safflower seeds limit the number of birds that are attracted to them. If squirrels, pigeons, blackbirds, doves and grackles crowd your feeder and chase away the birds you want to see, you may want to try the Safflower Seed Solution. Only a small percentage of people feeding birds offer safflower. However, as an added benefit, “nuisance” birds like grackles and crows don’t seem to care much for safflower seed at all. Why many bird seed mixes are filled with stuff birds won’t eat Milo, a common component of many commercial bird seed mixes, comes from the sorghum plant. also feed on these bitter seeds which the larger, aggressive species detest. The list of birds which eat safflower seeds is topped by the cardinals – crested thick-billed North American birds. As directed, I tried mixing the safflower seed in with the black oil sunflower seeds. Ask Northern Cardinals in my yard to pick their favorite seed and they would say safflower. As a commodity, it is as old as time. This bitter-tasting seed attract birds such as cardinals and grosbeaks but deters nuisances such as grackles and squirrels. Safflower Seed: A Favorite Seed Choice of Cardinals Safflower Seed: Who Eats It? These are just some of the birds who will eat safflower – there are certainly others. Some grosbeaks, chickadees, doves, and native sparrows also eat it. They then proceeded to fish out and eat only the sunflower seeds, discarding the safflower on the ground (where it promptly sprouted). There's a new bird seed coming onto the bird feeding market called golden safflower. Which Birds Regularly Eat Safflower Seeds? plus high in B vitamins. Black-oil sunflower: Sunflower seed is probably the most popular seed, and the black-oil seeds have a thin shell that easy for all seed-eating birds to crack. Safflower seed is a small, white conical seed, similar to black-oil sunflower seed, that is high in protein and fat. Safflower has a bitter flavor and a unique shape that grackles, blackbirds and starlings typically avoid. Nyjer seed—also commonly known as niger or thistle seed—is popular with many backyard bird species, particularly seed-eating birds and winter finches.Knowing which birds eat Nyjer can help birders choose the best birdseed and appropriate feeders for their backyard flock. Please note that for many birds, including cardinals who have never encountered it, safflower is an acquired taste. If you’re not getting these, the rapeseed will be left to spoil. Safflower Seed For Birds. The black oil seeds (“oilers”) have very thin shells, easy for virtually all seed-eating birds to crack open, and the kernels within have a high fat content, extremely valuable for most winter birds. Safflower seed is a small, white conical seed, similar to black-oil sunflower seed, that is high in protein and fat.. However, these seeds are popular among cardinals. The birds looked at me indignantly. Many birds aren’t familiar with it, so your birds … There are different types of sunflower seeds, often named for the markings on their shell (black, striped, etc). They STILL didn’t get eaten, not even being the ONLY food out there. If squirrels, pigeons, blackbirds, doves and grackles crowd your feeder and chase away the birds you want to see, you may want to try the Safflower Seed Solution. Safflower seeds, the new kid on the block? However, as an added benefit, “nuisance” birds like grackles and crows don’t seem to care much for safflower seed … As a bird food, yes it is relatively new. Other birds that eat safflower seeds include doves, sparrows, grosbeaks and chickadees. The seed has on average an 8 to 10 percent protein content and around a 38 percent oil content. Safflower Seeds Do birds Really Prefer it? Feed your backyard birds while keeping pests away with Safflower Seed birdseed. Several sites recommended making the switch gradually. Safflower Seed For Birds. It is a favorite among cardinals. Recognizing spoiled birdseed can help keep bad seeds from reaching bird feeders, but it is better if backyard birders take steps to keep the seed from spoiling at all. Safflower seeds have a thick shell, hard for some birds to crack open. Well, just about. This will ensure that the seed is always suitable for the birds to eat, and it will save money by not needing to replace uneaten seed or throw away unsuitable supplies. These two seed types don’t offer much over the more widespread seeds. I'm not saying that birds wont eat your seeds, I'm saying that it isn't the preferred feed that marketers want you to believe it is. Records show its history as a plant coming from the Euphrates River Valley. Note the color in the photo above that give the seed it's name, safflower is normally pure white.This new version claims to be higher in oil content, higher in protein and higher in fat, making it more desirable to feeder birds. Other than these bright red birds, songbirds like chickadees, titmice, grosbeaks, buntings, nuthatches, etc.