as many people are now feeding birds it is probable that those 

 who provide the greatest diversity of favorite foods will attract 

 the largest number and variety of birds. 



Food Supplies for Feeding Stations. 



Graiji. 



Whole grain, which can be used for human food, for farm ani- 

 mals or poultry, is unnecessary for feeding small birds. Little 

 birds prefer smaller seeds, but grain may be used for feeding 

 game birds. Broken or boiled rice, popcorn, cracked corn, hom- 

 iny, rolled oats, or whole oats, rye, barley, wheat and buck- 

 wheat sometimes are used in feeding game birds or song birds. 

 Where there are many rank weeds carrying their seeds above 

 the level of the snow, the smaller seed-eating birds require 

 little else. But where weeds are not allowed to grow, or where 

 they are covered with snow, other food should be provided. 

 Chick feed sold by poultry supply houses contains weed seeds 

 and small or broken grains, and therefore is relished by seed- 

 eating birds. 



Seeds. 



Most small seeds are eaten by birds. Weed seeds and grass 

 seeds are favorites. Broken squash and pumpkin seeds are 

 taken by a few species. Such seeds as those of the sunflower 

 and hemp may be recommended for winter feeding because of 

 the bodily warmth that they produce. Millet seed, particularly 

 that of the Japanese, Hungarian and Golden millets, and 

 mixed bird seed have been utilized as food for small birds. 

 The millets can be raised in Massachusetts and a supply of 

 seed threshed out for the birds each autumn. Mrs. Arthur 

 Caswell says that all the sparrows like the seed of the golden 

 millet. Mr. V\\ L. McAtee of the Biological Survey recom- 

 mends prince's-feather, love-lies-bleeding, asters, Calandrinias, 

 blessed thistle, tarweed, portulaca and California poppies as 

 cultivated annual plants the seeds of which are attractive to 

 seed-eating birds. ^ The cones of coniferous trees, such as the 

 pine, larch and spruce, if containing seeds, may attract some 

 species. 



1 United States Department of Agriculture, Farmers Bulletin No. 621. 



