When we were coming up with the idea for Palores, we decided that we would change our bird seed mixes seasonally so your gorgeous garden birds will be getting the right mix of nutrition for the time of year. Each season we will be carefully curating the seed mix in your bird food subscription box according to what is best for the birds.
Most garden birds are small and have a very high metabolic rate meaning they need to feed regularly and in large amounts. As with most animals, birds need a combination of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in order to stay healthy, it is also important to have a high nutritional quality in this food to garner the right vitamins and minerals in order to maintain a good level of health. Most garden birds will have a varied diet consisting of animal foods such as worms, insects and small molluscs, as well as plant parts like seeds, fruits, nuts and grains.
The birdseed and suet ball selection, in our Palores bird food subscription boxes, is formulated to provide a good mix of the plant-based things that our feathery friends love to eat, as well as insect stuffed suet balls for a more fatty, proteinous punch.
It is also important to provide your garden birds with a safe place to drink when proving them with food, if you don't have a birdbath you can always improvise with an old washing up bowl or even an ice cream tub with a few stones popped inside. Try to put your water supply in a place with good views and nowhere near a place where predators, such as cats, could launch an assault.
What is in the Palores Spring Bird Seed Mix?
Our birdseed mix is made up of 11 ingredients that are perfect for any number of garden birds that stop at your feeders for a nutritional snack. Below we have listed each and every one of our ingredients and given you a quick lowdown on what it is and some of the birds that might like to eat it.
Red Dari
Red Dari is a cereal crop that is an excellent source of energy and fats. Dari is a variety of Sorghum grass and was a staple crop in Africa and Asia for many years as it can grow in very harsh conditions. Smaller birds such as dunnocks, finches and sparrows will love this super seed.
Small Striped Sunflower
Sunflower seeds are a great source of energy for birds as the oils within them are easily metabolised by them. The striped variety has a hard shell and is preferred by larger garden birds.
Black Sunflower
The Black Sunflower seed is the striped variety's softer cousin, making it perfect for all wild birds regardless of size, whilst still delivering a great punch of energy. A favourite of all the tit varieties.
Safflower
Safflower is one of the earliest known farmed crops, with evidence showing its cultivation dating back to Ancient Mesopotamia. The seeds of this plant deliver an easily digestible energy boost.
Naked Oats
Naked, or hulled, oats are oats that have lost their fibrous husks, leaving behind the nutritious kernel. Naked oats have a much higher level of unsaturated fats than other cereals making them perfect for avian energy. A preferred snack of larger finches and buntings.
Kibbled Maize
Kibbling is the process of grinding into a coarse meal. Maize, or corn, has long been used for human and animal food and contains a number of important vitamins and minerals as well as being a rich source of carbohydrates.
Red and White Millet
These two varieties of grass seed are very similar nutritionally, both being amazing sources of protein. Red Millet is a particular favourite of sparrows.
Chopped Peanuts
We use chopped peanuts in our summer mix to avoid birds taking pieces that are too large for young and causing a choking hazard. Finches are partial to peanuts and other smaller birds may throw them away, leaving them for ground-feeders such as robins and dunnocks.
Wheat
Not most birds preferred choice but a good source of energy for larger birds, wheat is best liked by larger ground-feeding birds such as blackbirds, doves and pheasants.
Aniseed Oil
Aniseed oil is added to attract birds to your feeders as birds love the taste and smell. Long used by game-keepers and pigeon fanciers, this amazing oil is also a great source of energy and is reported to have antimicrobial properties too.