Why do birds throw seed out of feeder?


It’s likely that you may occasionally have witnessed birds on your feeders being a little picky when it comes to the particular seed they choose to eat.  It can appear at times that the birds are throwing seed out of the feeder or deliberately dropping it.  So Why do birds throw see out of the feeder?

Birds that dig around and search for their preferred seed size and type may appear to throw see out of the feeder.  A birds choice of seed closely matches what it prefers in nature. Ground feeding birds typically eat smaller seeds, whereas birds that feed in bushes and whose diet may consist of berries and insects will usually choose larger seeds.

Read on for some other reasons why birds may be throwing seed from the feeder and some ideas of how to reduce the frequency.

Why kind of food should I put on my feeder?   

There is a large array of food available for the different types of feeders you can find on the market.  The decision of what bird food to use with your chosen feeder will largely depend on the feeder you have.  We know that peanuts are a fantastic energy source, and birds will love them throughout the year but especially come winter when food is in short supply.  However, we also know that whole peanuts can provide a choking hazard to birds young, especially during spring and summer. Thus, peanuts must be only dispensed from a suitable peanut caged feeder.  These feeders leave the birds with no option other than to break up the peanut, which ensures that a whole nut is not taken.

Other seeds such as Nyger are very small and should ideally be used with a suitable Nyger feeder with very small holes to stop the seed from spilling out.  Primarily it will be finches that prefer this type of seed, and their beaks are perfectly designed for picking these tiny seeds from the feeder.

Benefits of having the correct food on your feeder

If you are trying to attract a specific bird species to your feeder, it will be worth taking some time to understand which type of food they prefer and determine the most appropriate feeder to use with it.  If food sources are low, it will not be unusual for a bird to consume food that it may otherwise choose not to but using the right food will increase your chances of attracting the birds you are hoping to see. 

Some seed is advertised as ‘no mess’, which essentially means that the seed’s husks have been removed.  Birds will naturally discard the husk of seeds, but these husks can leave a mess under the feeder if not cleaned up.  In some cases, discarded seed husks can still germinate.

I created a guide that shows which birds prefer what foods I based on research and my own experience looking out of my kitchen window. This guide can be found in the article below.

See also: What bird food to use for each type of bird (FREE Download) 

Keeping feed in place is another great reason to use an appropriate feeder.  Birds trying to a preferred seed type can result in a shovelling action whereby a bird may be witnessed to flick large amounts of seed out of the feeder.  Smaller birds take the seed out of the feeder and drop it.

Selecting the right food for your feeder may involve some experimenting as the local wild bird population may need time to discover the available food sources you have to offer.

Issues of continuing to use the wrong food

Continuing to use the wrong type of food on your feeder could lead to:

  • Not attracting the birds you want
  • Increased waste
  • May attract other species like squirrels or rats
  • Broken or damaged feeders
  • Cause harm to birds, presenting choking risks
  • Prove to be more challenging to clean
  • Lead to feed perishing quicker
  • Risk of discarded seeds geminating

See also: Is it important to clean your bird feeder?

Related Questions

How to stop birds from throwing food? Selecting the most appropriate feeder for your seed is the easiest way of preventing birds from throwing food.  Spending a little more money on quality food will also help as some seeds such as sunflower are also available without the husks that birds will look to discard. You can catch much of the feed thrown onto the floor by using a seed catcher directly under your feeder.

How to stop birdseed from growing under feeder? Seed that has germinating under the feeder is often the result of seed falling from the feeder and can be resolved by changing the type of seed you are using.  No mess bird seed consists of cereals and seed that have been de-husked or have their geminating properties removed, making it impossible for them to grow.

What bird feeders don’t drop seeds?  Selecting the appropriate feeder and the correct food is the easiest way to reduce the amount of seed dropped dramatically. Aftermarket seed catchers are available that will hang from the bottom of your existing feeder and catch the food but may present an opportunity for other species such as squirrels if not cleaned out regularly. Other bird feeders that are less likely to drop seed include window seed feeders, which have deep seed tray for food to sit within.  If you are careful not to overfill these seed trays, they provide another excellent way of reducing the amount of food that is dropped.

What animals eat birdseed at night? If you discover that the food on your bird feeders has dramatically reduced overnight, a night time visitor may likely have visited your feeder.  Feed left on the floor overnight may have been collected fed upon by mice, rats or hedgehogs.  Foxes and badgers are less likely to be attracted by fallen seed but may well be interested in other food types left overnight.  Seed consumed directly from feeders overnight are more likely to be mice as they are particularly good at climbing and can easily fit through the gaps in a caged feeder left for birds.

Can you throw birdseed on the ground? You can throw birdseed on the ground, and many birds will be happy to feed upon it.  However, some birds’ species prefer to feed from perches, and you may find that these birds are not attracted by this method.  Providing food on the ground is also more likely to attract other pests such as the grey squirrel, rats and mice. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you collect up any unused food each evening before dusk.

Why do birds suddenly disappear from feeders?  Throughout the year, the abundance of food available to wild birds will vary considerably.  As food availability becomes less, you may notice an increase in garden birds visiting your feeders, while a boost to a wild birds natural food source may reduce visitors to your feeders in the summer months.  Other reasons for a noticeable reduction in birds visiting your feeders include the timing of migration and young birds leaving the nest, resulting in adult birds requiring less food.

See Also

wayne

I'm Wayne. For many years, I have been a fan of feeding the birds in my back garden and often asked myself questions about what I was seeing. This prompted me to research things further and I have continued to do so ever since. This is the site where I share everything I have learned.

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