Highly Nutritious Bird Seeds for Your Pet Bird

Birds are charming little creatures that anyone would love to have as companion. And like most pets, they too require the right nutrition to stay in great shape. Birds need carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals. If you have a pet bird, you’d probably want to include highly nutritious bird seeds in his diet. 

Though packed with nutrients, no single seed can provide a bird with all his dietary needs. So variety is the way to go. Here are some of those that you may want to consider feeding your adorable pet. 

Black-oil Sunflower 
Black-oil sunflower contains 43 percent fat, 13 percent fiber and 16 percent protein. It’s a favorite of doves, goldfinches, grosbeaks, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers, Chickadees, Northern Cardinal and Pine Siskin. 

Cracked Corn 
Not so much of a popular seed for birds, cracked corn usually attracts Jays. This particular seed has only two percent fat, two percent fiber, and eight percent protein. 

Nyjer 
This one’s quite hefty on the fat content having 40 percent. It’s also rich in protein (22 percent) and fiber (14 percent). It’s popular among doves, finches, goldfinches, Common Redpoll, Indigo Bunting and Pine Siskin.

Safflower 
Safflower’s nutritional content includes 38 percent fat, 21 percent fiber and 14 percent protein. Doves, purple finches, and titmice are the biggest fans of safflower seeds.

Striped Sunflower 
Striped sunflower is big on fiber (20 percent), protein (23 percent) and fat (26 percent). It’s much loved by grosbeaks, titmice, woodpeckers, Northern Cardinal and Chickadees. 

Sunflower Hearts 
This seed contains a whopping 56 percent fat, only four percent fiber, and fairly good amount of 24 percent protein. It attracts the following birds: doves, finches, Dark-eye Junco, Common Redpoll, Chickadees, goldfinches, grosbeaks, titmice, woodpeckers, Pine Siskin, and nuthatches. 

Apart from bird seeds, it’s also great to add fruits and vegetables to your bird’s diet. Corn, carrots, yams, peas, broccoli, apples, bananas and grapes are some great choices. Not only would these items provide essential vitamins and minerals, it also helps to avoid turning your pet into a picky eater. Also, remember never to feed your pet with spicy food, chocolates, wine, or caffeinated beverage. Be sure to consult your vet first before feeding your pet with any food.