Audubon Park Sunflower Hearts & Chips Wild Bird Food 12224

I tried dried mealworms, then I tried live mealworms for the bluebirds in central NC. The bluebirds showed no interest at all such a succulent treat (yuck). After reading another review about these hulled sunflower seeds I bought a small bag to try. I put these in my bluebird tray and now I have to refill it every day. Once they found the feeder word was passed around the small bird hotline and, voila, every small bird in the neighborhood expects me to have the tray filled early every morning!

Recently received my first order of hulled sunflower seeds, and the product seems fresh and clean, with plenty of whole seeds, and no bits of debris or stowaway critters. Don’t know why it took me so long to think to search for sunflower kernels for birds. I was buying the unroasted/unsalted kernels at Trader Joe’s, and the birds liked them so much that they were busting my budget. WARNING: if you see a visiting dove (they love sunflower hearts) and, like me, think, “Oh, how lovely,” be aware that gentle solo dove will soon bring its friends and family. You’ll then have a non-stop flutter-fest, fights, and daft doves flying into your windows. They’ll also eat you out of house and home, deprive the neighborhood finches of their share of the seed, and will repay you by dropping huge splats of dove-doo everywhere.

These seeds were such a hit that I’m now getting birds whose habitat is usually a bit farther up the hill, where there are more pines. And today, there was an actual pigeon at the feeder, and I’ve never seen a pigeon in this area. As they’re cousins of doves, I hope that lone pigeon doesn’t bring friends as well, because the bigger birds are putting off the finches. This was my first order, but I’ll be buying more. Glad I found these and can stop spending so much on “human-grade” sunflower kernels.

Of all quantities available online, these 5 lb bags are most affordable and under the price breakdown for more weight discounts. I can parcel out to my Pheasants & Chicks or Turkey Poults as good quality Protein & enzyme additive to their main Feed as a home mix. Sunflower whole or shelled is a raw, totally natural food for Fowl & other grain, nut, seed eaters. The oils boost plumage & organ health and vibrance. Big changes since we began using Sunflower raw, also Mealworm or BSF Larva also for proteins & enzymes, natural amino acid as our livestock would eat if they were wild.

The birds seem to like the fact that there are both chips and full sized pieces. Great quality!