A simple act of spreading bird seeds on the ground can attract birds, but you’ll need to be more strategic if you want to catch every bird.
Spreading bird food on the ground can swiftly attract a wide variety of ground-feeding birds that will quickly clean up your offering. To accommodate birds who cannot utilize feeders, scattering seeds on the ground is a good alternative. Favor bird seed mixtures that include nut meats or corn to attract more species while using less.
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Although not all bird species require a seed-based diet, ground-feeding birds are happy to consume seeds found on the ground as part of their natural diet.
When it comes to feeding wild birds, it’s crucial to know what they eat and when so that no food is wasted. Birds eat bird seeds all year long, but especially in the winter.
Throwing seeds on the ground, especially on the lawn or a bird-frequented area, is the best way to feed ground-feeding birds in your yard.
You won’t know how much or how little bird seed to use on a daily basis until you start feeding the birds, so don’t waste too many of them at the beginning.
However, you should not ignore the birds who rely solely on bird feeders because they are unable to forage on the ground and must be fed.
The advantage of managing bird feeders while also providing food for ground-feeding birds is that any spillage from the feeders can be easily cleaned up by placing it under the feeders, where the birds can feast without fear of being wasted.
Seeds safe on ground
Yes, you can scatter bird food on the ground, and doing so will likely attract the greatest number of ground-feeding birds to your yard.
Birds of many shapes and sizes can often be seen taking use of feeders, but those that rely on the ground for food are often unable to use them successfully.
Generally speaking, it’s fine to plant seeds outside, but there are a few caveats.
If you want to feed the birds, you should wait for drier weather before scattering seeds on the ground, as damp weather can quickly ruin the food in a short amount of time.
Bird seed is fine as long as it is consumed within a day or two; but, if any of it is left to decay on the ground, it can attract pests and pose a health risk to dogs, cats, and even children.
Seeds should be dropped in areas where birds will be most likely to eat them fast, such as while they are foraging in the lawn or on the deck.
Fed to ground feeding birds only
When bird seed or other bird food is scattered on the ground, only the species that eat on the ground will be attracted to it.
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Thus, without a bird feeder, birds are more likely to search for food, rather than rely on a source that many ground feeders cannot use (though some will try, like Bluebirds and American Robins).
You should concentrate on the ground-feeding birds that, in the wild, consume largely seeds and nuts.
Birds can be attracted with a variety of foods, such as fruit or a bug mix, but the majority of their diet is made up of seeds, which are available year-round.
Wild birds should be provided with seeds year-round, but this should be especially important in the winter, when many species convert to consuming more seeds and similar foods to keep warm.
Ground-feeding birds can be attracted by scattering seeds on the lawn, but this strategy only works if you already have birds regularly visiting your yard.
Reduce seeds, waste less
You would think that if you just scatter some bird seed on the ground, the birds will come flocking to eat it.
More than likely, you’ll end up with unsold bird seed because you bought too much or because your yard isn’t visited by enough birds.
It’s time to meet in the middle by starting with a little amount of bird seed; you can then adjust the amount offered as you learn more about the types of birds that frequent your yard and how much food they require.
Although seeds have a very long shelf life, they soon go bad if exposed to extreme temperatures or humidity.
An elevated ground bird feeder is ideal for damp weather, while in the case of snow, more seeds can be scattered on top of the snow.
If you don’t limit your seed supply, rotting bird food can accumulate in your yard, which is excellent for the birds but bad for your family’s health.
Any bird seed that falls to the ground will likely be picked up by birds for the better part of the day, so there’s no need to worry about cleaning it up.
Feed birds seed mixes
There is no dearth of typical backyard bird species that you may lure to your yard, and among them you’re likely to spot a few familiar faces.
Don’t lose hope because you think there aren’t enough birds to consume all the seeds; both large and little birds are happy to snack on seeds all day long.
As a result, it’s important to provide a variety of seeds as some birds won’t consume others.
An inexpensive package of bird seed mixes, with emphasis on mix, is all that is required. These blends comprise everything a ground feeding bird would closely eat in nature.
If you pay attentively, you’ll discover that some birds rummage through the seed mix to find the specific nutrients they need to survive.
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It’s safe to assume that most birds will consume any seeds you provide them, however some may prefer to eat sunflower or safflower seeds if they’re available.
Birds that like nut meat, such as peanut kernels, in their seed mix blend will do so, while other birds will eat the other bits and pieces, such as broken corn or wheat.
Seed mixes are the best bet if you want to attract a wide variety of wild birds to your lawn so that you may feed them.
Keep tidy or throw over
Think about alternatives to scattering bird seed all over your lawn before you go ahead and ruin its aesthetic value.
To make cleaning and restocking the bird feeder easier, consider utilizing a ground platform.
Bird seed may decay very rapidly on the ground, so keeping it a few inches from the ground will keep it fresher for longer.
Feeders are convenient for organizing bird food, but you can also achieve the same results by scattering the seeds on the ground. However, offering bird seed in a wide area can cause the birds to spread out in search of food, which is why it’s better to keep the feeders contained.
To encourage birds to visit your yard, why not scatter some bird seed throughout the lawn or patio in addition to filling up the ground bird feeder?
While birds that eat the ground are less likely to utilize a bird bath on the ground, they will not pass up the chance to scavenge for their preferred seeds in a feeder placed on the ground.
To conclude
To accommodate the wild birds that are unable to use a bird feeder, you may freely scatter bird seed on the ground.
Leaving seeds on the ground is fine if you don’t have to worry about them making a mess, attracting pests, or posing a hygiene risk in areas frequented by people with pets or children.
To avoid waste, it’s best to simply give out a small amount of bird seed at a time.
Wet circumstances or high temperatures can quickly ruin bird seeds, so it’s important to make sure they’re eaten within a day or two at the most.
Wild birds prefer seed mixtures that include a variety of ingredients, such as a variety of seeds, nut meats, broken corn, wheat, and other wastes.
Birds that don’t like eating seeds can be seen rummaging around on the ground for any peanuts or, if mealworms are mixed in, can go without them entirely.
Sure, you can scatter bird seed on the ground, but try to do it neatly.
Place all of the bird seed in a concentrated area of only a few square feet, and keep doing so every time you feed the birds. Do not use a large feeding place on the ground to attract birds while discouraging them from foraging in your yard.
A ground platform feeder is an alternative to just scattering bird seed on the ground, but it is not necessary and can be skipped if desired.
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Category: Birds
