What Do Birds Eat? A Backyard Bird Feeding Chart
Find your favorite backyard birds below to see what they eat and which feeder they prefer. Then pick the food to bring them in.
| Bird | Favorite foods | Best feeders | What to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Cardinal | Safflower, black-oil sunflower, sunflower kernels | Platform, hopper, tube with ring perch | Wagner's Safflower SeedBrome Squirrel Buster Plus |
| American Goldfinch | Nyjer, sunflower kernels | Finch feeder, tube | Wagner's Nyjer SeedBrome Squirrel Buster Finch |
| Chickadees | Black-oil sunflower, suet, peanuts | Tube, hopper, suet cage, window | Wagner's Black Oil Sunflower SeedDroll Yankees Classic Tube Feeder |
| Tufted Titmouse | Black-oil sunflower, peanuts, suet | Tube, hopper | Wagner's Black Oil Sunflower SeedBrome Squirrel Buster Standard |
| Nuthatches | Suet, sunflower, peanuts | Suet cage, tube, hopper | C&S Hi-Energy Suet CakesBirds Choice Upside-Down Suet Feeder |
| Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers | Suet, peanuts, sunflower | Suet cage, upside-down suet feeder | C&S Hi-Energy Suet CakesBirds Choice Upside-Down Suet Feeder |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Suet, peanuts, sunflower, fruit | Suet cage, platform | C&S Hi-Energy Suet CakesWoodlink Platform Feeder |
| Blue Jay | Peanuts, sunflower, corn | Platform, large hopper | Lyric Supreme Wild Bird SeedWoodlink Platform Feeder |
| House Finch | Sunflower, Nyjer | Tube, finch feeder | Lyric Sunflower KernelsDroll Yankees Classic Tube Feeder |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Millet, sunflower kernels | Ground or low platform | Lyric Supreme Wild Bird SeedWoodlink Platform Feeder |
| Mourning Dove | Millet, sunflower, safflower | Ground or platform | Wagner's Safflower SeedWoodlink Platform Feeder |
| Bluebirds | Mealworms, berries | Platform or dish feeder | Kaytee Wild Bird Dried MealwormsCoveside Bluebird House |
| American Robin | Mealworms, fruit, water (not seed) | Platform, bird bath | Kaytee Wild Bird Dried MealwormsAPI Heated Bird Bath with Stand |
| Orioles | Orange halves, grape jelly, nectar | Platform or oriole feeder | Woodlink Platform Feeder |
| Hummingbirds | Nectar (1 part sugar to 4 parts water) | Nectar feeder | Aspects HummZinger HighViewAspects Ant Moat |
Three rules that attract the most birds
Offer variety
Different birds eat in different ways. A tube feeder, a platform and a suet feeder together cover almost every common backyard bird.
Add water
A shallow bird bath brings in robins, bluebirds and others that rarely visit feeders. Keep it open in winter with a heated bath.
Give them cover
Birds feel safer with shrubs or trees nearby. Place feeders about 10 to 15 feet from cover.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best all-round bird food?
Black-oil sunflower seed. It's eaten by more backyard birds than any other food.
What attracts cardinals?
Safflower and sunflower seed on a platform, hopper or a tube feeder with a ring perch. Cardinals like to feed near shrubs.
What do birds eat in winter?
High-fat foods help most: suet, sunflower and peanuts. Fresh, unfrozen water matters just as much.
Not sure which feeder fits your yard?
Answer three quick questions and we'll match you with the right setup.