Best Bird Feed

Bird on bird feeder
(Image credit: Image by GeorgeB2 from Pixabay)

Whether you’re wanting to attract more birds to your backyard or take care of a pet, a specifically formulated bird feed can help. Filled with essential vitamins and minerals, they provide a great source of nourishment to help birds thrive. Our favorites include fat-packed wild bird blends that deliver a hit of energy and Omega fatty acid-filled domestic dishes to keep indoor birds looking their best.

Top pick

Packet of bird feed

(Image credit: Amazon)

Kaytee Wild Bird Food Black Oil Sunflower

A potent source of bird energy and nourishment

Packed full of fiber, protein, and fat, Black Oil Sunflower is a great way of providing wild birds with the necessary energy they need year-round. It’s the best grain when it comes to attracting songbirds into your garden.

Pros:

  • Contains oil
  • Small hulls

Cons:

  • Bird specific

The hulls of these sunflower seeds are thinner and smaller make it easier to eat than other seeds and grains. While the sunflower seeds appeal to a lot of birds, having just the one grain in this feed means there will be a lot of birds that won't show up at dinner time. You'll need to mix in additional grains and seeds if there are specific birds that you want to entice.

Best for wild birds

Packet of bird feed

(Image credit: Amazon)

Wagner’s Greatest Variety Wild Bird Food

Give your backyard birds the best with this delicious blend

A gourmet blend packed with 12 different ingredients, this wild bird feed is designed to attract the greatest variety of colorful songbirds. It’s high in fiber to aid digestion. 

Pros:

  • High in fiber, protein, and fat
  • Works with all feeder types
  • Attracts the most birds

Cons:

  • Not recommended for pet birds

This feed features a good balance of protein and fat to provide wild birds with the vital energy they need. With 40% sunflower seeds, the mix also includes peanut pieces, red and white millet, and raisins for sweetness. It works well in tubes, hoppers, or platform feeders, and comes in a convenient velcro press-lock bag.

Best for pet birds

Pack of bird feed

(Image credit: Amazon)

ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor

Powerful pellets that pack a nutritious punch

This beak-smackingly good snack is perfect for medium-sized birds such as Cockatiels and Lovebirds. Made with real wholegrains, these pellets have been fortified with all the essential vitamins and minerals your feathered friend needs to thrive. 

Pros:

  • Vet recommended
  • Includes fruits
  • Fortified with vitamins

Cons:

  • Not for wild birds

Lower in fat than most seeds, the pellets support heart health, which is helpful for pet birds that don't fly and exercise as much as wild birds. It also has plenty of protein and fiber to keep your tweety bird feeling full. Packed with fruit like bananas, apples, grapes, and oranges, this antioxidant-rich formula is vet recommended and provides all the nutrients your bird needs to stay fit and well.

Best for song birds

Packet of bird feed

(Image credit: Amazon)

Lyric Fine Tunes No Waste Mix

Birds will flock from far and wide for this tasty treat

With peanut, almond, and pistachio pieces, hulled white millet, sunflower kernels, and pumpkin seed pieces, this delicious hand-crafted mix will bring all the birds to your yard. The finely cut blend is great for small beaks, and the high nut content aids digestion. 

Pros:

  • Blends of seeds and kernals
  • No fillers
  • No hulls or shells

Cons:

  • For small birds only

It’s free from fillers, and all the shells and husks are removed, so there’s zero waste. This scrumptious blend makes for a deliciously satisfying snack that will give birds all the energy they need to flutter their way through the day. This feeder mix appeals more to smaller song birds, so larger birds will likely not be seen.

Best for parrots

Packet of bird feed

(Image credit: Amazon)

LAFEBER’S Classic Nutri-Berries

Foraging just got a whole lot more fun

This nutritionally complete foraging parrot food provides your feathered friend with important beak play, exercise, and mental stimulation. Great as a nutritious snack or a complete meal, these Nutri-Berries come bursting with all the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that your bird needs to be at its best. 

Pros:

  • Non-GMO
  • Encorages foraging
  • Highly nutritious

Cons:

  • Only for parrots

The seeds are hulled before being coated with stabilized vitamins and chelated minerals to ensure your bird gets the same high-quality nutrition that they would get from pellets. The non-GMO and human-grade ingredients are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

How to choose the best bird feed

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Whether you’re wanting to fill your backyard with wild birds and keep them well-fed and full of energy, or you have an indoor feathered friend you want to keep nourished, choosing a specially formulated bird feed can do just that. Our favorite is Kaytee Wild Bird Food Black Oil Sunflower, full of fat from the oil it contains, it provides a vital source of energy for wild birds.

A fruity and flavor-filled blend for medium-sized birds, ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor is lower in fat than many bird feeds making it great for heart health, and the variety of included fruits deliver a hit of antioxidants in every beakful. And for parrots who love to forage, LAFEBER’S Classic Nutri-Berries offer a ton of mental and physical stimulation while delivering all the nutrition your feathered friend needs.

Why trust us

At Pets Radar, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As experts, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your life. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. Our detailed product overviews balance objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is easy.

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