Sunflower hearts are by far best for garden birds, as a) more species can eat the seed because the husk has been removed, c) less energy is used by species which can remove the husk because they don’t have to, and c) there’s less waste to clear up compared to black sunflower seeds, which also reduces the risk of disease in your garden birds.
Sunflower Seeds
It’s fair to say that sunflower seeds bird food is the most popular and successful of all garden bird foods, with our range being made up of three variants: sunflower hearts, sunflower heart chips, plus black sunflower seeds. Sunflower hearts are simply black sunflower seeds with the husk removed, with sunflower heart chips, as the name suggests, being small pieces of sunflower heart.
Of the three variants of sunflower bird seed, sunflower hearts are the most versatile and will be eaten by the most species in your garden. This is because softbill species of bird such as Blackbird and Robin can’t remove the husk from black sunflower seed, but can easily swallow sunflower hearts whole - as they can also do with sunflower heart chips. Most species of finch and tit will eat sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds, and can easily remove the husk from the latter.
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FAQS
Which sunflower seed is best for birds?
Should birds eat sunflower seeds?
Yes - sunflower seeds are great for garden birds because they’re packed with fat and protein. Sunflower seeds also contain vitamins E, B1 and B6. To allow more species of bird to get the benefit of sunflower bird food in your garden, feed sunflower hearts as well as or instead of black sunflower seeds.
Why do birds like sunflower seeds so much?
Certainly for sunflower hearts which are black sunflower seeds but with the husk removed, they’re easy and quick for birds to eat. The same applies to sunflower heart chips. Birds also instinctively know what’s good for them, with sunflower seeds being full of fat and protein - which they need for survival and health.
Can all birds eat sunflower seeds?
Garden birds which naturally include at least some seeds in their diet can all eat sunflower hearts or sunflower heart chips, but not all these species can eat black sunflower seeds. This is because softbill species like Robin and Blackbird can’t remove the husk from black sunflower seeds, whereas with sunflower hearts or sunflower heart chips, they can easily and safely swallow the food whole.
How long do sunflower seeds last for birds?
If stored in an airtight container and in cool conditions out of direct sunlight, then both black sunflower seeds and sunflower hearts will last for many months and be entirely usable. In a hanging tube feeder black sunflower seeds will last longer than sunflower hearts, though it’s likely this anyway won’t be an issue because birds will typically empty the feeder before either type of food deteriorates. However, if the sunflower seeds in the feeder get wet following wind and rain, or if the food is left because of a lack of birds coming to your garden, then it’s best to empty the feeder and dispose of the old seed, clean the feeder, then put in fresh seed.