Bird

Food Preference

Feeder Type

Northern Cardinal

Sunflower, safflower, peanuts, insects, cracked corn, white millet, white bread, melon seeds, raisins,

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, Kaytee Cardinals^™, Kaytee Birders' Blend,  LYRIC^® Cardinal Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground and low tray or post feeders, will come to a tube feeder with a tray

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Sunflower, safflower, grape jelly, sugar water, insects, peanut hearts, raisins

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed,  Kaytee Nutty Nugget Blend,

Tray and post feeders, hanging feeders with perches, tube feeders with trays

Indigo Bunting

Red and white millet, chopped peanuts, pecan meats, insects, thistle seed

Try Kaytee Cracked Corn, Kaytee Nyjer Seed, Kaytee Finch Feeder, Kaytee Wild Finches^™, Kaytee Waste Free

Prefers the ground; will come to tray, hanging feeders

Evening Grosbeak

Sunflower, safflower, insects, apple seeds, peanuts, wheat, sorghum, melon seeds

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed, Kaytee Safflower Seed, Kaytee Songbirds^™, Kaytee Birders' Blend

High post, hanging and tube feeders

Purple Finch

Sunflower, safflower, thistle, insects, peanuts, suet mixtures, white and red millet

Try Kaytee Wild Finches^™ , Kaytee Birders' Blend, Kaytee Waste Free, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™,  LYRIC^® Finch Wild Bird Food

High post, hanging and tube feeders

House Finch

Sunflower, thistle, white millet, fruits, nutmeats, insects, suet and suet mixtures

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Wild Finches^™ ,  Kaytee Birders' Blend, Kaytee Waste Free, LYRIC^® Finch Wild Bird Food

Thistle, tube post and window feeders, the ground

Pine Grosbeak

Mountain ash berries, cranberries, pine seeds, sunflower, apple slices, samaras of ash and maple, insects

Try Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed, Kaytee Safflower Seed, Kaytee Songbirds^™

Feed must be out in the open on the ground or in a tray

Common Redpoll

Hulled sunflower, thistle, suet, insects, white bread

Try Kaytee Nyjer Seed, Kaytee Finch Feeder, Kaytee Wild Finches^™, Kaytee Wild Cardinals^™, LYRIC^® Finch Wild Bird Food

Post, hanging, tube, thistle and window feeders, the ground

Pine Siskin

Thistle, hulled sunflower, white millet, insects, ashes, salt

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Nyjer Seed, Kaytee Finch Feeder, Kaytee Wild Finches^™, LYRIC^® Finch Wild Bird Food

Tube, thistle, window and post feeders.

American Goldfinch

Thistle, hulled sunflower, sunflower, insects, weed seeds, cracked nutmeats

Try Kaytee Sunflower Hearts & Chips, Kaytee Nyjer Seed, LYRIC^® Finch Wild Bird Food

Thistle, window, tube, post and hanging feeders

White-winged and Red Crossbill

Sunflower, thistle, nutmeats, pine seeds, insects, salt, doughnuts

Try Kaytee Birders' Blend, Kaytee Chickadee & Nuthatch, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™, Kaytee Nut & Raisin Blend^™, Kaytee Songbirds^™

Thistle, post, hanging and tube feeders, the ground

Rufous-sided Towhee

Sunflower, white and red millet, thistle, rolled oats, grapes, barley, white bread, insects, suet and suet mixtures

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Cracked Corn, LYRIC^® Snowbird Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground near brush or a brush pile, tray on low posts

Dark-eyed Junco

White and red millet, cracked corn, hulled sunflower, insects, white bread, peanuts, Sorghum

Try Kaytee Sunflower Hearts & Chips, Kaytee Waste Free, Kaytee Nut & Raisin Blend^™ , LYRIC^® Snowbird Wild Bird Food

Loves the ground, but also likes low tray feeders

American Tree Sparrow

Hulled sunflower, white millet, white bread, insects, cracked corn

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, , Kaytee Songbirds^™, Kaytee Waste Free, LYRIC Supreme Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground,  also likes open tray, post hangers, some hanging feeders with trays

Chipping Sparrow

Insects, cornbread, hulled sunflower, peanut hearts, white bread, cracker crumbs, bakery products, grass seeds white and red millet

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, LYRIC Supreme Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, but will also visit low tray feeders

White-throated/White-crowned Sparrow

White and red millet, cracked corn, hulled sunflower, thistle, insects, peanut hearts, white bread

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, LYRIC^® Snowbird Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, but will visit low tray feeders

Fox Sparrow

Sunflower, white millet, suet, doughnuts, white bread, cracked corn, insects

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, LYRIC Supreme Wild Bird Food

Almost always feeds on the ground

Song Sparrow

Sunflower, sorghum, white millet, thistle, peanut hearts, walnut meats, white bread, insects

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, LYRIC^® Snowbird Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, but will also visit low tray feeders

Snow Bunting

Hay, chaff, oat groats, cracked corn, white and red millet, bread crumbs, insects

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Waste Free

Sprinkle feed out in the open on the ground or snow

Ring-necked Pheasant

Corn, sunflower, wheat, safflower, oats, barley, sorghum, insects

Feed should be thrown on the ground or in an area clear of snow

Ducks & Geese (Mallard, Wood Duck, Canada Goose)

Corn, wheat, acorns, pond weeds, insects, bread

Feed should be placed on the ground

Purple Martin, Tree and Barn Swallow

Flying insects, chicken eggshells (crushed)

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, Kaytee Songbirds^™,  Kaytee Waste Free

Place the egg shells on the ground or in an open tray feeder

Mourning Dove

Cracked corn, white and red millet, safflower, thistle, wheat

Try Kaytee Cracked Corn, LYRIC^® Snowbird Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, will come to low tray/post feeders

Rock Dove (pigeon)

White bread, corn, white and red millet, rice, grain

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food,  Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed,  Kaytee Safflower Seed, LYRIC Supreme Wild Bird Food

Low tray feeders, the ground

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Flower nectar, insects, sugar water (four parts water, one part sugar)

Hanging and window hummingbird feeders

Northern Flicker

Suet, fat mixtures, meat scraps, ants, cracked walnuts and pecans, orange and apple slices, corn, cherries, grapes, white bread

Suet feeders which are attached to tree trunks, log and hanging feeders

Pileated Woodpecker

Suet and suet mixtures, peanuts, cracked corn, insects, ants, hamburger

Try Kaytee Cracked Corn, Kaytee Woodpeckers^™, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™, LYRIC^® Woodpecker Wild Bird Food

Suet and tray feeders fastened to tree trunks

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Suet and suet mixtures, cheese, raisins, cracked corn, peanuts, sunflower, orange and apple halves, sugar water, insects.

Try Kaytee Cracked Corn, Kaytee Woodpeckers^™, LYRIC^® Woodpecker Wild Bird Food

Suet, platform, post, hanging and hummingbird feeders

Red-headed Woodpecker

Sunflower, cracked corn, raisins, bread, nutmeats, suet, insects, sugar water

Try Kaytee Songbirds^™, Kaytee Woodpeckers^™, Kaytee Nutty Nugget Blend, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™, LYRIC^® Woodpecker Wild Bird Food

Suet, log and tray feeders, the ground.

Yellow-bellied Woodpecker

Suet and suet mixtures, grape jelly, doughnuts, insects, sugar water

Try Kaytee Woodpeckers^™, Kaytee Nutty Nugget Blend, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™, LYRIC^® Woodpecker Wild Bird Food

Suet and hummingbird feeders, hanging log feeders, small tray feeders

Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers

Insects, suet and suet mixtures, peanuts, hulled sunflower, peanut butter, cracked corn, coconut, fats, nutmeats, cheese.

Try Kaytee Cracked Corn, Kaytee Songbirds^™, Kaytee Woodpeckers^™, LYRIC^® Woodpecker Wild Bird Food

Suet, peanut and post feeders, hanging log feeders

Gray Jay

Table scraps, bread, suet and suet mixtures, cooked oatmeal, crackers, fat mixtures, banana, grapes, insects

Try Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed, Kaytee Safflower Seed, Kaytee Cracked Corn, LYRIC^® Cardinal Wild Bird Food

No preference, it will take food wherever it is placed

Blue Jay

Insects, whole corn, sunflower, suet and suet mixtures, peanuts (with or without shell), young birds, cracked nutmeats

Try Kaytee Striped Sunflower Seed, Kaytee Songbirds^™, LYRIC^® Cardinal Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, but will come to almost any seed or suet feeder

Common Crow

Corn, suet, white bread, meat scraps, grain, eggs and young of other birds, carrion, insects

Suet feeders, low feeders, the ground

Black-capped Chickadee

Sunflower, safflower, suet and suet mixtures, peanuts, thistle, peanut butter, insects, sugar water, pie crust

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food, Kaytee Sunflower Hearts & Chips, LYRIC^® Chickadee Wild Bird Food

All types of feeders, the ground

Tufted Titmouse

Sunflower, suet and suet mixtures, nutmeats, baked goods, cornbread, cookie crumbs, insects, sugar water

Try Kaytee Songbirds^™, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™, LYRIC^® Chickadee Wild Bird Food

Prefers small hanging and log feeders, tray and hummingbird feeders, the ground

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sunflower, safflower, suet and suet mixtures, peanuts, peanut butter, insects, pumpkin seeds

Try Kaytee Premium Black Oil Sunflower, Kaytee Birders' Blend, Kaytee Waste Free, LYRIC^® Chickadee Wild Bird Food

Almost all feeders, including suet, ground, hanging, post, window and peanut feeders

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sunflower, suet and suet mixtures, peanuts, nutmeats, melon seeds, pine seeds, insects

Try Kaytee Birders' Blend, Kaytee Waste Free, Kaytee Nutty Nugget Blend, Kaytee Nut & Berry Blend^™,  LYRIC^® Chickadee Wild Bird Food

Suet , peanut, hanging and platform feeders

Brown Creeper

Suet and suet mixtures, peanut butter, peanut hearts, insects, boiled potato

Feed should be placed in bark crevices

House Wren

Suet and suet mixtures, pecan meats, cornbread, insects, white bread, cracker crumbs

Tray feeder or the ground (if it comes at all)

Gray Catbird

Raisins, currants, peanut butter, insects, banana, peanuts, cottage cheese, apples, jelly, suet

Suet, tray, hanging and hummingbird feeders, the ground

Brown Thrasher

Cracked corn, suet and suet mixtures, raisins, peanuts, white bread, sunflower, doughnuts, orange halves, white and red millet, insects, cornbread

Prefers the ground, but will also come to low tray or platform feeders.

American Robin

Worms, insects, apple slices, raisins, grapes, raspberries, bread, cherries, cottage cheese, cooked spaghetti, strawberries

The ground, low post or tray feeders (if it comes at all)

Eastern Bluebird

Peanuts, pecan meats, suet and suet mixtures, white bread, raisins, cornbread, insects, baked apple, berries, cottage cheese

Suet, window, tray and post feeders; some hanging feeders

Golden-crowned Kinglet & Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Suet and suet mixtures, insects, peanut butter, cracked corn, doughnuts, cornbread

Almost any type of feeder

Cedar Waxwing

Insects, berries, raisins, apple slices

Tray feeder (if it comes at all)

European Starling

Suet and suet mixtures, white bread, peanuts, peanut butter, cracked corn, hulled sunflower, cheese, insects, apples. Baked goods

Almost any type of feeder

Orange-crowned, Cape May, Yellow-rumped, Pine Warblers

Sugar water, suet and suet mixtures, peanut butter, chopped nutmeats, insects, grape jelly, peanuts, orange and apple halves, baked goods, raisins, cornmeal

Tray, post, suet, hummingbird and small hanging feeders

House Sparrow

Hulled sunflower, cracked corn, white and red millet, insects, wheat

Try Kaytee Wild Bird Food

Prefers the ground, will come to low tray feeders or tube feeders with trays

Eastern & Western Meadowlark

White millet, cracked corn, sunflower, wheat, oats, barley, insects, sorghum

Rarely attracted to feeders, but may visit feed spread on the ground or in slight elevated tray feeders

Red-winged Blackbird

Insects, cracked corn, white millet, sunflower, white bread, rice, thistle, safflower

Prefers the ground; has learned to use most feeders

Northern Oriole

Insects, fruits, nectar, grape jelly, white and red millet, orange halves, grapes, cooked raisins, sugar water (four parts water, one part sugar)

Try Kaytee Songbirds^™

Oriole and jelly feeders, hummingbird feeders with bee guards removed

Common Grackle

Sunflower, peanuts, white bread, corn, wheat, oats, barley, white and red millet, suet, insects, grubs

Hanging, post and tray feeders, the ground

Brown-headed Cowbird

Cracked corn, rice, white millet, sunflower, peanuts, cornbread, white bread, insects, sorghum, pecan meats

On the ground in the open; large, open tray feeders, small hanging feeders

Scarlet Tanager

Sliced apple, banana, cherries, sugar water, jelly, raisins, suet, cornbread, pie crust, white and brown sugar, insects

Try Kaytee Songbirds^™

Tray, suet, hummingbird and window (tray) feeders, the ground