Perhaps too few birds are finding their way to your wild bird feeders and you’re wondering why. Follow these best practices for wild bird feeding to increase your chances of success.

Make sure the food is fresh

Some seeds, such as Nyjer Seed, is oily and dense with fuel that birds need. But if your bird food is not fresh, the oils will dry out and the seed will be much less appealing for the wild birds to eat. Also, keep an eye on the food after it rains or during periods of high humidity. If moisture gets in, the seed can spoil in as little as two weeks.

Fill the feeder consistently

If the feeder stands empty for periods of time, birds will move on to other yards. But the upside is that birds are always on the lookout for new food sources, so keep the feeders filled and you will eventually build up your clientele at the feeder.

Experiment with spacing feeders

While some species are not bothered by human movement indoors, others spook easily. Also, if your feeding station draws a crowd, that can keep other species away. Offer an attractive alternative to these shyer birds and try setting a feeder apart from your home and the feeding station.

Bird traffic varies

Birds are on the move and their food needs change depending on the time of year. Sometimes environmental factors such as noise and the presence of other animals can also have an effect on whether birds feel comfortable landing in your yard.

Use high quality blends to attract a wider variety of birds

Look for blends that place a premium on quality, such as those from Lyric Wild Bird Food. Their wild bird mixes are full of quality ingredients that will pop out to your sharp-eyed backyard visitors, such as shelled nuts, pistachios and dried fruit. With bargain brands, you’re often paying for filler birds won’t eat. In comparison pound for pound, Lyric is an excellent value.

Because this is nature, we see plenty of variation when it comes to attracting and feeding wild birds. But if you keep an open mind, stay patient and are willing to try new things, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of enjoyable bird gazing right in your own backyard.