It is possible that cardinals' brilliant red color contrasting with the white of the winter snow, or perhaps their song that rings in the summer mornings is the reason they are an appealing species to most people. This is understandable as their visits are a joy and are not very complicated to achieve, at least not in theory. The challenge is in the understanding. The reward is worth the effort. They are a common sight in backyards. And with the right seed and feeder, you can have them visiting too.
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Cardinals are wonderful backyard birds that a lot of people try to attract to their yards. The first step to attracting cardinals is knowing what they prefer. Unlike many other birds, cardinals are not likely to eat any food you toss outside. Cardnials prefer certain types of food. As ground foragers, they prefer hopping style feeders or platform feeders where they can sit comfortably while eating and cracking seeds with their strong bills.
A pair of cardinals will stay in your yard for all four seasons because cardinals are year-round residents of the eastern United States rnaging, including the Southwest. Plus, once cardinals are attracted to a yard, they will likely stay permanently. They will nest in your yard, raise their young close to you, and become part of your daily activities. However, as is the case for many birds, if your feeder does not provide the cardinals what they need, the cardinals will move to another yard instead.
Cardinals can be picky eaters but there not being unreasonable. What they need are high fat and high protein seeds. The seeds provide the Cardinals with enough energy to survive tough winters and to raise multiple broods every year. Get the food right and other things will fall into place.
Overview of the Foundation: Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Black oil sunflower seeds are the gold standard for cardinals, containing 40 percent oil content, and thin hulls that cardinals easily crack with their thick bill. This is not marketing fluff. Bird feeding scientists, including the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, have proven black oil sunflower seeds are the most preferred seeds by cardinals.
Why are black oil sunflowers so effective as bird feed? First, the shells are thinner than those of striped sunflower seeds, allowing birds quick and easy access to the nutritious seed inside. While cardinals are known to possess strong seed-cracking beaks, they still value efficiency when it comes to feeding. Second, black oil sunflower seeds are exceptionally high in oil. This high oil content provides cardinals the calories and fat they need to sustain their body temp and energy stores, especially in colder months.
You can find black oil sunflowers at almost every feed store and garden center. Also many online retailers stock it. When looking to purchase black oil sunflowers in bulk their price lowers. Make sure to buy it fresh. Look for fresh and plump seeds that are dark in color. Avoid bags that have a lot of dust or debris. Mold can develop in old or stale seeds and birds will definitely avoid them.
Black oil sunflower can work for you. To get started and to test the waters, fill a hopper or platform feeder with black oil sunflower seeds, place them in an open area to the north of some nearby cover, and then wait. In a matter of days, you should see cardinals flocking to them.
Your Cardinal Blend: The Mix
The true magic happens when you blend black oil sunflower with safflower seed. This combination is loved by cardinals and keeps the undesirable fillers out of your feeder. Safflower is your secret weapon in a blend focusing on cardinals. It's a white, slightly bitter seed that cardinals love and that squirrels, grackles, and starlings avoid.
The positive of feeding cardinals, chickadees, titmice, and other lovely songbirds is that it takes away from watching squirrels and aggressive birds take over your feeder. Instead of watching this, you can enjoy watching the cardinals feed! Safflower seeds do not bother cardinals so they will easily crack through the seeds just like they would a sunflower seed.
A typical cardinal blend has 70% black oil sunflower seeds and 30% safflower seeds. This combination provides the high-fat attraction of sunflowers seeds and the selective advantages of safflower seeds. Some birders change this ratio based on the wildlife pressure in their area. If the squirrels are a problem, increasing the safflower to 50% can be beneficial.
Including a small amount of shelled sunflower hearts (often referred to as sunflower chips) to the mixture is also possible. Although these are pricier, they do eliminate waste because there are no hulls to clean up. Cardinal birds will eat them and they're especially useful in the winter when every calorie is important.
The main focus should be on creating a blend that cardinals would love. Other species would just be a bonus.
Making it at Home: The Cardinal Cocktail
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Making your own bird feed can save you a trip to the store and give you the opportunity to customize the blend. You can control the ingredients and the ratios to whatever you think the cardinals in your yard love the most. You also avoid store-bought bags which can be fresher, cleaner, and completely customizable.
Begin by purchasing your ingredients in bulk. A large number of farm supply stores, online retailers, and wild bird specialty shops sell black oil sunflowers and safflowers in 25- or 50-pound bags. When you buy in bulk, especially if you feed throughout the year, your costs will be significantly lower.
Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:
- 35 pounds black oil sunflower seeds
- 15 pounds safflower seeds
- Optional: 5 pounds shelled sunflower hearts
In a big storage bin or container that is clean, combine all ingredients. Use a small scoop or a bucket to mix the seeds well, so that there is an even mixture for each refill of the feeder. Keep the mixture in an airtight container, in a cool and dry location. As long as it is not exposed to moisture and pests, your garage, shed, or basement will work fine.
Depending on how many feeders you are filling and how many birds you are hosting, this batch can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. The flexibility you have when making your own blend is great! If you see that cardinals are favoring one seed, you can change the ratio next time. Some birders put more safflower seeds in the spring and summer, then increase the sunflower seeds in the fall and winter when birds need more fat to stay warm.
What NOT to Put in Your Mix
Avoid buying seeds that contain red milo, wheat, and colored millet. Cardinals will throw these seeds out and you will waste money on seeds that they won't even eat. Most commercial blends contain filler seeds and are therefore not worth it. Filler seeds are cheap, they add weight to the bag, and they make the blends look more abundant. However, cardinal birds will not eat them.
Birdseed containing red milo is especially bad. While it is common in inexpensive wild bird mixes, most songbirds including cardinals completely ignore it. You will see birdseed containing red milo pile up under your feeder because birds will toss red milo to the ground as they search for the better food. The same is true for wheat, oats, and cracked corn in a cardinal focused blend. These grains will attract pests like pigeons, house sparrows, and rodents, but not the bright red birds you want.
Ground-feeding sparrows and doves can eat white proso millet, but it does not particularly attract cardinals. If you want to attract cardinals, do not include it. Millet that is dyed red or yellow is just for marketing purposes and does not provide any nutrition.
Get down to the basics: black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and if you want, sunflower hearts. When you keep junk from your feeder, it will become more efficient, and become a feeding station for the birds that you want to see.
Storage and Serving Tips
The blend will stay fresh and prepped to lure in cardinals all year if you make a new batch every month and keep the excess in an airtight container. Most people don’t consider how important seed freshness is. Seeds that are older and staler are missing oil content, which causes them to develop bad tastes, and can contain mold and bacteria. Cardinals have a strong sense of seed freshness, and if your seeds aren’t fresh, they will go to your neighbor's feeder instead.
When you store your seed mix, make sure to use airtight containers such as plastic heavy-duty containers, metal trash cans, or food safe buckets with lockable lids. This way you protect your seeds from moisture, insects, and rodents. Locking buckets are more rodent-proof than standard lids. Store your containers in cool and dry areas away from the sun. Heat and humidity speed up spoilage. Do not store your seeds in hot garages or in basements that are damp.
When you fill your feeders, only add enough food to last about a week or two. In wet or humid climates, bird food can spoil very quickly. If you see any clumping, a change in color, or smell something musty, throw out the food, and refill the feeder with fresh mix. Clean your feeders regularly. You should clean them at least once every two weeks. To clean the feeders use a vinegar solution (one part vinegar to four parts water) to clean the feeders. Rinse the feeders thoroughly and allow them to dry completely before you refill them.
It's common to go through seed faster during peak feeding seasons (late fall to early spring). For Cardinals and other birds feeders are relied on when natural food sources are scarce. Consumption may go down in summer as birds begin to forage for insects and berries. Adjust your batch size and how frequently you refill feeders based on what you notice.
What Other Things Do Cardinals Need Aside From Seeds
When using the right seeds to attract cardinals to your feeder, also consider adding fresh water and nearby shrubs for shelter to create an irresistible complete habitat. Cardinals don’t live on seeds alone. Water is also critical for drinking and for bathing. This is especially true during the winter months when natural water sources are frozen, and in the summer when the heat is stressing their systems.
A basic birdbath, changed daily, will bring cardinals to your yard! Cardinals like birdbaths that are 1-2 inches deep, since they prefer shallow water. They also need rough water surfaces for gripping. Heated bird baths are perfect for winter. They'll see cardinals repeatedly during the day. They will really start to appreciate the birdbath.
Cover is just as important. The Cardinals are hesitant birds. They like feeders that are close to shrubs, small trees, or thick bushes so that they have places to hide from hawks or take breaks from feeding. Evergreens like junipers, hollies, and arborvitae provide great cover. Deciduous shrubs like viburnum, dogwood, and serviceberry provide good nesting sites and cardinals favorite berries.
Cardinals might be wary about visiting your yard and feeder, even if you have the best feeder out there. However, if you add native shrubs, cardinals may feel less exposed. For best results, plant shrubs 10-15 feet away from your feeder. In time, the triple combo of food, water, and shelter will transform your yard into an attraction for cardinals.
Real Results in Your Backyard
Cardinals come to great food fast and will also bring along family members. Look for the male first. He's bright red and will be the first to show up. The food is a great attraction for him and his mate who will join him after a few days. With warmer brown and red tones, she will be just as beautiful. Next season, you may even have juvenile cardinals visiting, still showing traces of their darker juvenile plumage.
Cardinals enjoy the establishment of new routines. After they habitually visit a yard for food, they begin to incorporate it into their daily activities. They arrive at the same time each day, including early in the mornings (just after sunrise), and before dusk in the late afternoon. As a small family group, they will visit and with cheerful calls, make your yard part of their soundscape.
Being able to provide a quality cardinal blend year after year pays off in a multitude of ways that don't just show benefits through statistics. You will witness courtship feeding in spring, when male cardinals feed female cardinals seeds during their bonding ritual. You will see fledglings learning to crack seeds on their own. You will see a male cardinal sitting on some snow-covered branches in January and enjoying the food you've provided.
Building relationships with nature takes time, but eventually, the rewards will come. If you are consistent with your feeders, and keep them clean and filled, as well as create a habitat for the cardinals, then they will come. And once those cardinals start to visit your yard, you will have a yard filled with brilliant red color!
Mixing Safflower with Black Oil Sunflower seeds is the perfect formula for attracting cardinals. Prepare your feeder and get ready because they will be on their way! Happy Birding!
