We currently ship bird seed within the United States only, except for Alaska and Hawaii.

Unfortunately, our delivery service is not able to deliver packages to PO Box addresses at this time. 

At checkout, please provide a valid street address for your order to be delivered to.

No, we currently can only ship to the lower 48 states.

After placing your order, you will receive a confirmation email. Once shipped, you will receive another email notifying you of the shipment and giving you a tracking number to track when your order will arrive.

Returns are only allowed of UNOPENED bags of bird seed. If your bag is still unopened, you will need to ship it inside of a box with tape secure enough to hold the weight of your bag. Bags can be shipped back to us via FedEx, UPS, or USPS. Buyers are responsible for the cost of the return shipments.

Returns are only allowed of UNOPENED bags of bird seed. If your bag is still unopened, you will need to ship it inside of a box with tape secure enough to hold the weight of your bag. Bags can be shipped back to us via FedEx, UPS, or USPS. Buyers are responsible for the cost of the return shipments.

Check your ForTheBirds.com e-gift card balance here: https://forthebirds.com/a/gifthero/balance

ForTheBirds.com e-gift cards have no expiration date!

Adding multiple feeders to your landscape will draw in many bird species for you to enjoy. Different species prefer different types of seed and feeders. Seed eating birds tend to stay all year long. Those birds preferring fruits, nectars and insects are typically migratory bird species. As the birds nest; they become more territorial and spacing feeders is critical so they can comfortably come to the feeders. Feeder placement should be near trees or shrubbery so birds can safely fly to the feeder and back to the shelter to perch.

Fall is the season to begin, even though natural foods are plentiful and the birds like the tufted titmouse above may not spend much time at your feeder yet. They are out in the fields and woods, feasting on seeds and berries and well-fed insects. The birds that do visit feeders in the abundance of autumn are scouting because they need to be ready when cold weather hits. 

You can continue to feed the birds throughout the year. Provide birds with the vital nutrition they need during cold weather months with our Cold Weather bundle.

It depends on what birds are in your region, and what type of feeder you are going to use. Different birds prefer different types of seed, but black oil sunflower seeds appear to be the favorite of the most bird species. Take our Bird Seed Quiz to find out which seed mix would fit you best!

Yes, water is very important for birds, both for drinking and for bathing. In the summer, a water source will be heavily used by birds for drinking and bathing, and parent birds will bring their young to the water for their first baths. During the spring and fall migrations, a backyard water source is highly attractive to birds. Water tends to be scarcest in the winter when freezing temperatures keep water locked in the ground. A source of unfrozen water is much appreciated by winter birds.

Take our Bird Seed Quiz to get recommendations based on a category of birds you are looking to attract. Each of our seed pages includes a list of all of the birds that enjoy that particular seed, so be sure to cross reference for the best chance at bringing those birds to your yard!

Yes & no, it depends both on the type of bird & your location. Even though insects make up most of birds’ summer diet, they feed mainly on seeds, berries, and fruit in the winter. If there are such foods available in the wild throughout the year, there is no reason for these birds to migrate. Birds that eat only insects (insectivores) and nectar-eating birds (nectivores) must fly to warmer climates in the fall if their food sources here are no longer available.

Birds prefer to have the protection that trees provide nearby, so it is recommended to locate your feeders somewhere between 12 & 15 feet away from trees and shrubs. This distance helps ward away squirrels, even though they are quite stubborn. It is important to remain consistent when feeding the birds, so once you find your feeders spot don't switch it up too drastically.

Yes, they can. It is important to keep the feeder itself clean as salmonella is easily spread through contaminated seed. Five of the most common diseases that can infect feeder birds are salmonella, aspergillosis, avian pox, trichomoniasis and finch disease, a form of conjunctivitis. These diseases can be spread from bird to bird through feeding or moldy seeds, through direct contact, and through eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated with the droppings from sick birds.

Peanut butter sold in grocery stores is certified safe for human consumption and is safe to offer birds when cold or cool temperatures keep it fairly hard. In warmer weather it must not be kept outside long enough to become rancid or soft.

Hard, dry rice is harmful to birds. According to ecologists, it absorbs the moisture in their stomachs and kills them.

Although bread isn't harmful to birds, try not to offer it in large quantities, since its nutritional value is relatively low.

Yes, bird seed can expire. Big clumps that are difficult to separate probably mean that the birdseed got wet, and that should not be eaten. Infestations of insects or rodents immediately indicate bad seed. Smelly seeds most likely mean that they have gone rancid. Moldy birdseed is also inedible and should be discarded.

While dusty or faded birdseed is not necessarily spoiled, it just means it is old. Older birdseed can lose some of its valuable nutrients. Replace any old birdseed with a new bag. And lastly, sprouting seeds won’t be eaten by birds, but they can be left to grow to produce birdseed-bearing plants, if that is your thing.

Store the seed in a cool, dry place in an area out of the reach of rodents. Aluminum trash cans with tight-fitting lids are ideal rodent-proof containers for seed, or airtight plastic container should do the trick.

Meadow Ridge Farms No Grow Wild Bird Mix is designed and specially formulated to feed birds a nutritious mix while leaving behind less waste and preventing seeds from sprouting below the feeder. This is a popular bird seed blend for our customers who incorporate bird watching into their lawn and garden areas around their home or cabin.

Most seed-eating birds will eat any kind of sunflower seed. They’re likely go for black oil first because they are easier for birds to crack open and contain more fat and calories than striped sunflower seeds, which means more reward with less effort.

Check out Meadow Ridge Farms Black Oil Sunflower Mix.

Birds that prefer Nyjer® are seed-eating bird species. They typically have smaller, sharply-pointed bills that can easily manipulate such tiny seeds to crack shells and extract the rich seeds. Check out Meadow Ridge Farms Nyjer® Thistle for attracting finches and smaller birds with tiny, pointed bills that can crack these tiny shells.

The most popular birds that eat Nyjer® include the following:

American goldfinches, California quail, Common redpolls, Dark-eyed juncos, European goldfinches, Hoary redpolls, House finches, Indigo buntings, Lesser goldfinches, Mourning doves, Pine siskins, Purple finches, and Song sparrows.

It depends on what kind of birds you would like to see. You want to be sure that whatever you choose will also be safe from predators and easy to clean, because maintenance is key to healthy bird feeding.

Love chickadees, titmice, and cardinals right at your window? Check out: Window feeders.

Prefer jays and sparrows? Check out: Tray feeders.

Like finches and chickadees? Check out: Tube feeders.

Into goldfinches and siskins? Check out: Thistle/Nyjer® feeders.

Fancy cardinals and grosbeaks? Check out: Hopper feeders.

Love magpies and nuthatches? Check out Peanut feeders.

It depends on how many birds you would like to feed and how often you want to be refilling the feeder itself. Any size will work if you keep up with it!

This helps attract the greatest variety of bird species, and to minimize crowding around a single feeder. Crowding is the number one way that birds spread disease.

All feeders should be cleaned and disinfected at least once a month to prevent the spread of disease. The feeder should be disinfected with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. All surfaces should be rinsed well and thoroughly dried before refilling. 

This is relative to the amount of birds eating it but it is a good rule to make sure that your feeder is full for the morning as that is when the most birds will make their appearance for food. Depending on the size of your bag of bird seed you might need to repurchase more frequently. Each of our product pages includes a size guide for an estimate on how long each bag should last.

Opt for a no grow seed! They contain ingredients that have no shell, therefore no wasted food. You can also look into a different type of feeder for less mess. Check out Meadow Ridge Farms Mess Free bundle for no grow options.

It is not unusual to see a bird fly into a window. Large window glass can increate the chance that a bird can mistakenly strike the glass and be injured or even perish. Birds are convinced that they are flying into an open space.

One solution is to stick a decal on the window to show the bird that a surface exists.

Ants are mainly attracted to nectar bird feeders. The sweet sugary snack is a magnet for these pests. Combat this by adding a moat to the feeder. A cup shaped device holds water and when the ant climbs down the hook they are trapped in the pool of water and out of the feeder.

To enjoy the delightful sounds of songbirds be sure to include a landscape filled with a variety of native trees, shrubs, vines, and seed-bearing flowers. Birds will reside in areas that contains the three essentials: shelter, water, and a natural food source. A welcoming landscape will have all levels of plants, tall trees, mid- level height shrubbery, evergreens, perennials, and ground cover. An untidy landscape will provide much opportunity for backyard birds, nesting material and shelter. As a bird enthusiast, be sure to include feeding stations and a bird bath to view birds up close.

You can find a wide variety of birdbaths to purchase. From the bird’s perspective they are most interested in gently sloping sides, for easy puddling especially for small species and a rough surface to provide safe footing. Ideally the bath should be about 3” deep so large birds can soak and hold a flock that may bath together. A large stone can be added to create an island. Be sure to clean birdbaths often to keep water fresh and clean. Place your birdbath near trees or shrubs where a bird to perch to dry and preen their feathers. Be sure to offer water all year long, it is essential for their diet.

During the daylight hours birds can be seen foraging for food and perching in trees. But as the sun sets, all birds except some nocturnal species like owls will go to safe places to take rest and sleep at night. They go out of sight, high up in tree branches or concealed in dense branching of shrubbery. Small garden birds typically tend to sleep and roost in large flocks or in a cavity to protect them from predators.

You should wait until after nesting season to remove nesting materials. Most species only nest one time in the year, but some species can have between four and five per year. The time can also vary greatly. Songbirds are usually ready to leave after just two or three weeks, while raptors may stay up to 10 weeks. By learning more about the different species, nest removal can be easily determined, and your flock can remain healthy and happy.

A bird’s feather provides a remarkable amount of winter insulation. Many birds will grow more feathers for winter protection. Their feather is coated in a special oil for warmth and waterproofing. A bird can control the temperature in their legs to conserve warmth and prevent frostbite. Bird legs are covered in scales to minimize the heat loss. Birds will build up fat reserves as winter approaches to keep them warm and provide much needed extra energy. Be sure to offer suet and seeds with high oil content such as sunflower seeds. Birds will flock into large groups and roost together for warmth.

We do! Our hummingbird & oriole nectar options can be found here: www.forthebirds.com/collections/hummingbird-oriole

Please NEVER feed Hummingbird's honey! The honey will stick to their tongue and kill the tongue. If you make your own nectar, just use cane sugar and boiled water.

The best nectar for Hummingbird feeders is four parts water to one part cane sugar.

Hummingbirds do not eat birdseed. A Hummingbird's diet consists of sugary nectar, small insects, and flower nectar.

The best nectar for Hummingbird feeders is four parts water to one part cane sugar.

We do! Our hummingbird & oriole nectar options can be found here: www.forthebirds.com/collections/hummingbird-oriole

Orioles and House Finches will snack on oranges. In hot weather, oranges will shrivel faster, you might have to change them more often. Orioles will eat mealworms, but their favorite is grape jelly!

Squirrels are seed eaters and assume that the food that is out is for them. To deter them, keep in mind that they are incredible jumpers. They can jump six feet up in the air and can launch themselves about 10 feet from trees, shrubs, and buildings. Hanging feeders on tall shepherds’ hooks helps to minimize the squirrels access to the seed. You can also use squirrel baffles or squirrel proof feeders.

First, make sure the bird is injured not orphaned. Place the wild bird in a cardboard box and cover it with a lid or towel. Then place the box in a cool, safe place to give the wild bird time to recover from the shock of the injury.

Check on the bird periodically to ensure that the situation is getting better. After multiple hours, and a stable condition, call a local wildlife rehabilitator that can nurse the wild bird back to health.

You can try local Humane Societies, Department of Natural Resources, or any wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

If it is near a nest, do your best to get it back in the nest, using gloves. If it is a feathered bird that looks slightly older, it could be fledgling that has just left the nest for the first time. In this case, just get it out of harm’s way, maybe on a nearby branch or somewhere to rest. These birds will not return to the nest once they have left.

The North American Bird Banding Program is jointly administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Their respective banding offices use the same bands, reporting forms, and data formats. You can report bird bands to either agency.

To report a bird band to the USGS, please contact the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory by following the instructions on their mobile-friendly USGS Bird Band Reporting website.

WE ARE NOW FORTHEBIRDS.COM!

When FeedTheBirds.com was founded, it was a big idea with a tiny team, creating and promoting our bird seed with the one goal in mind; Bringing backyards to life by delivering the freshest bird seed direct to our customers in the most streamlined way possible.

The plan was to launch the company gradually and quietly and to intentionally grow slowly and organically, taking care to do things right at every step.  The name Feed the Birds was chosen to reflect our initial mission. Solidifying our goal into the namesake of the company allowed us to never lose sight of what we wanted to achieve with the launch of this company.

Since our launch in February of 2022, we have built up a company that now allows us to expand on our initial goals. We never could have imagined we would be in this position so quickly, but we have grown our team, invested in updating and expanding our mill and continue to add to our range of product offerings month to month. We continue on in our mission to feed the birds, that will always be our first priority, but we recognized our unique opportunity to become the place to find everything for the birds. In order to truly lean into the evolving of our brand, the name seemed to be what we were stuck on. As we began to research and expand the categories of products soon to be added to our website, we realized that feeding the birds is not where we want to stop. Soon bird houses, bird baths, poles & perches, suet, hummingbird accessories and more will be available at forthebirds.com.

So, over time and after much consideration, it became clear that we needed a new brand name that reflected these changes and where we want to be moving forward.  We then began the renaming process - which we undertook carefully.

Through this process, we arrived at a name that encapsulated our original goal, while allowing us to evolve and offer more in the months and years to come.   

We are now ForTheBirds.com! 

After all, you are not our customer... the birds are...

Nothing is changing about the company structure or website besides the name.  We have the same ownership, the same team and the same great bird seed (just more to come)! 

We worked with our internal marketing and design team members on updating all things branding and design to reflect the name change, and will continue to roll over our existing branded promotional materials, social media and influencer marketing in the days to come.   

We are looking forward to the coming weeks and months.  So, stay tuned! We are very excited about our new name change and this new chapter in our company’s story.  To everyone who has supported us over this last year, you all are an integral part of bringing these backyards to life.  And we can’t thank you enough! 

Much love and many thanks, 

The For The Birds Team