Audubon Cardinal Blend — Which Seeds Work, Which Don’t

The seed in a feeder determines which birds visit more directly than any feeder design. The Cardinal Blend contains black oil sunflower (50%), safflower (30%), and white proso millet (20%). This combination attracts the broadest range of desirable songbirds while excluding most nuisance birds.

Seed breakdown and which birds each attracts

Black oil sunflower (50%): The single best all-purpose birdseed. Attracts cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, finches, grosbeaks, and jays. Thin shell is crackable by most songbirds.

Safflower (30%): Cardinals and chickadees favor it. Squirrels dislike it. House sparrows generally ignore it — which is its key advantage in urban feeders with house sparrow pressure.

White proso millet (20%): Attracts juncos, white-throated sparrows, and mourning doves. Most effective in platform feeders or when scattered on the ground below a tube feeder.

What generic “wild bird” mixes get wrong

Generic mixes contain red milo, oats, and millet filler that most songbirds discard. The discarded seed germinates below the feeder, creating maintenance. The Audubon blend uses no filler.