There’s something magnetic about cardinals. Maybe it’s that brilliant flash of red against winter snow, or the cheerful song they bring to summer mornings.
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Getting them to visit isn’t complicated, but it does require understanding what they actually want.
Why Cardinals Matter (and Why They're So Picky)
It starts with picking the right birdseed. Not every generic birdseed works for every bird, so putting out foods that cardinals are known to eat will help boost your chances of cardinals making a year-round home in your backyard.
Cardinals prefer sunflower and safflower seeds, so use those to fill your bird feeders. If you want a genuinely hospitable garden for cardinals, get a feeder with a cardinal ring around the food access area.
Cardinals prefer to face their food, and the ring will allow them to perch and eat comfortably.
The Foundation Is Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Black oil sunflower seeds are smaller and more common in birdseed than the kind of sunflower seeds humans eat. Their shell is all black and is generally pretty easy for all kinds of birds to crack open.
They also need a feeder that will hold their favorite foods. A cardinal’s beak is shaped for cracking larger seeds, so these are the best foods to offer them.
They enjoy black oil sunflower and safflower seeds, corn, and peanuts. Cardinals also like mealworms and suet.
The Mix, Building Your Cardinal Blend
Another popular seed in cardinal mixes is safflower seeds. These white seeds are similar to sunflower seeds, and you’ll find that the birds in your backyard, cardinals included, will also come to enjoy safflower seeds.
Making Your Own Cardinal Cocktail at Home
Cardinals’ large red beaks are designed to crack through tough outer seed shells like sunflower and safflower. These are two very common natural ingredients in any cardinal mix, so if you’re making your own mix, these are a good place to start.
Most cardinal seed packages will include a mixture of safflower and sunflower seeds. Some mixes will also include cheap filler ingredients like milo and white millet, but they ultimately don’t do much to attract birds to your backyard.
While some birds will eat them, skip these ingredients if you’re mixing your own birdseed. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you want to buy bird seed or mix your own.
Mixing your own seed can be time-consuming, but it could save you money in some cases and develop the perfect mix of seeds for the birds in your yard without wasting money on extra seed that the species of birds in your yard don’t like.
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- 35 pounds black oil sunflower seeds
- 15 pounds safflower seeds
- Optional: 5 pounds shelled sunflower hearts
What NOT to Put in Your Mix
If you are purchasing a low-quality mixed blend of birdseed, milo, red millet, wheat, barley, and oats are likely in the mix, which are all seeds that very few backyard birds will eat, if any at all. These ingredients are often used as filler ingredients in packaged bird seed.
Save your money and don’t include them if you’re making your own mix, as there are far better seeds out there that birds will prefer.
Storage and Serving Tips
Making a fresh batch monthly and storing your surplus in airtight containers keeps your blend fresh, affordable, and ready to attract cardinals year-round. Seed freshness matters more than most people realize.
Old, stale seeds lose their oil content, develop off flavors, and can harbor mold or bacteria. Cardinals have a keen sense of what’s fresh and what’s not—they’ll choose a neighbor’s feeder with quality seed over yours if the food isn’t up to standard.
Store your seed mix in airtight containers like heavy-duty plastic bins, galvanized steel trash cans, or food-grade buckets with locking lids. This protects the seeds from moisture, insects, and rodents.
Keep containers in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight. Heat and humidity accelerate spoilage, so avoid storing seed in hot garages or damp basements.
When filling your feeders, only add what will be consumed within a week or two. In wet or humid climates, seed can spoil quickly.
If you notice clumping, discoloration, or a musty smell, toss it out and refill with fresh mix. Clean your feeders regularly—at least once every two weeks—with a solution of one part vinegar to four parts water.
Rinse thoroughly and let dry completely before refilling.
During peak feeding seasons (late fall through early spring), you might go through seed faster. That’s normal.
Cardinals and other birds rely heavily on feeders when natural food sources are scarce. In summer, consumption may drop as birds forage for insects and berries.
Adjust your batch size and refill frequency based on what you observe.
Beyond Seeds, What Else Cardinals Need
Favorite berry shrubs, such as the dogwood, sumac, or mulberry, will do double duty as they attract cardinals to their fruit (and the seeds inside) while offering shelter. Providing a nearby water source, like a birdbath, is another great way to draw cardinals to your feeders.
Keeping the water moving will attract the cardinals’ attention and help prevent freezing in the winter. Cardinals prefer a bird feeder that is close to natural cover.
Smaller trees and shrubs offer protection at the feeders and on the ground. Ground-level feeders are their favorite.
They will also feed at pole-mounted and hanging feeders, which you can encourage with varying levels of cover plants.
Real Results in Your Backyard
You’ll need to have trees and bushes available in your yard to give yourself a chance of a cardinal nesting in your backyard. If you cannot add trees to your yard, don’t panic.
While cardinals may end up nesting in someone else’s yard, they will fly around in search of a reliable food source and can still make their way to your feeders. Wild berries are often a cardinal favorite, so planting wild berry bushes in your backyard is one way to please cardinals, although you may have to wait a couple of years to see results as the plants grow.
Cardinals have also been known to eat fruits like cherries, grapes, and apples. Some cardinal bird seed mixes will also include raisins.
There’s no foolproof way to attract these beautiful birds to your backyard. Despite your best efforts, there may not be cardinals in your area, or they could be nesting comfortably elsewhere.
If you are doing everything right, but cardinals still aren’t showing up at your feeders, don’t give up.
Cardinal cocktail at a glance
| Spec | What our writers say |
|---|---|
| Core seeds | Black oil sunflower and safflower |
| Also eaten | Corn, peanuts, mealworms, suet, crushed peanuts, berries |
| Skip in a homemade mix | Milo, red millet, wheat, barley, oats, and other cheap fillers |
| Why skip fillers | Very few backyard birds eat them |
| Water | A birdbath, kept moving so it is easier to see and slower to freeze |
| Cover | Smaller trees and shrubs close to the feeder |
| Berries | Dogwood, sumac, or mulberry, plus cherries, grapes, and apples |
| Nesting | Trees and bushes in the yard; they will still commute to a reliable feeder |
