American Goldfinch
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Sunflower hearts, Nyjer
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray
Bird seed chart: who eats what
Black-oil sunflower seed feeds the most backyard birds: 11 of the 14 on this chart eat it. Add nyjer for finches, suet for woodpeckers and nuthatches, mealworms for bluebirds, and sugar water for hummingbirds.
14 birds
House Finch
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Sunflower hearts, Nyjer, Safflower
Feeds at: Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray
Black-capped Chickadee
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Sunflower hearts, Mealworms, Nyjer, Peanut hearts, Peanuts, Safflower, Suet
Feeds at: Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray, Suet cage
White-breasted Nuthatch
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Sunflower hearts, Mealworms, Peanut hearts, Peanuts, Safflower, Suet
Feeds at: Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray, Suet cage
Downy Woodpecker
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Sunflower hearts, Mealworms, Peanut hearts, Peanuts, Safflower, Suet
Feeds at: Hopper, Platform or tray, Suet cage
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Fruit, Sunflower hearts, Mealworms, Peanut hearts, Peanuts, Safflower, Suet, Sugar water
Feeds at: Hopper, Nectar feeder, Platform or tray, Suet cage
Song Sparrow
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Sunflower hearts, Millet, Milo, Nyjer, Peanut hearts, Safflower
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Platform or tray
Dark-eyed Junco
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Sunflower hearts, Millet, Milo, Nyjer, Oats, Peanut hearts, Safflower
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Hopper, Platform or tray
Mourning Dove
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Sunflower hearts, Millet, Milo, Nyjer, Oats, Peanut hearts, Safflower
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Hopper, Platform or tray
Blue Jay
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Fruit, Sunflower hearts, Mealworms, Millet, Milo, Peanut hearts, Peanuts, Safflower, Suet
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray, Suet cage
Northern Cardinal
Eats: Sunflower (black-oil), Cracked corn, Sunflower hearts, Millet, Milo, Peanut hearts, Safflower
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Hopper, Tube feeder, Platform or tray
Eastern Bluebird
Eats: Fruit, Mealworms, Peanut hearts, Suet
Feeds at: Ground or low feeding surface, Platform or tray
Anna's Hummingbird
Eats: Sugar water
Feeds at: Nectar feeder
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eats: Sugar water
Feeds at: Nectar feeder
The whole chart
| Bird | Sunflower (black-oil) | Sunflower hearts | Safflower | Peanut hearts | Nyjer | Cracked corn | Suet | Mealworms | Millet | Milo | Peanuts | Fruit | Sugar water | Oats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Goldfinch | ● | ● | no | no | ● | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| House Finch | ● | ● | ● | no | ● | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Black-capped Chickadee | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | ● | ● | no | no | ● | no | no | no |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | ● | no | no | no |
| Downy Woodpecker | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | ● | no | no | no |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | ● | no |
| Song Sparrow | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | no | no |
| Dark-eyed Junco | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | no | ● |
| Mourning Dove | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | no | ● |
| Blue Jay | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | no |
| Northern Cardinal | ● | ● | ● | ● | no | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | no | no |
| Eastern Bluebird | no | no | no | ● | no | no | ● | ● | no | no | no | ● | no | no |
| Anna's Hummingbird | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | ● | no |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | no | ● | no |
Foods and feeders for each bird follow Cornell Lab’s Project FeederWatch guide to common feeder birds; the drawings are ours. Birds in your area vary by region and season. Feeder pages: Tube, Hopper, Platform, Suet, Nectar. Match food and feeder in the bird food tool.
References
| Source | Updated |
|---|---|
| Common Feeder Birds ↗ | |
| Feeder Types ↗ |