Sunflower seeds are a favorite among many birds due to their high nutritional value, packed with fats, proteins, and vitamins that provide essential energy. To birds, the black sunflower seeds, with their thin shells and high oil content, are usually easy to crack and digest. Generally, these seeds attract a diverse array of species especially during winter when natural food sources dwindle.
Common visitors to sunflower seed feeders include finches like the vibrant house finch and the acrobatic goldfinch, which cling to perches while pecking away. Cardinals, with their striking red plumage, boldly claim seeds at platform feeders, while chickadees and titmice dart in for quick grabs. Sparrows and juncos, often in flocks usually forage on the ground for spilled seeds.
Birds That Eat Sunflower Seeds
Northern Cardinal
These striking red songbirds are among the most common visitors to sunflower feeders. They prefer black oil sunflower seeds, which have thin shells and high oil content. Cardinals are ground feeders as well and will often sit beneath feeders to collect fallen seeds.
House Finch
Small and sociable, house finches thrive in urban and suburban settings. They readily consume sunflower seeds, cracking the shells with their stout beaks. Their presence around feeders is usually marked by cheerful, warbling songs.
Blue Jay
Known for their intelligence and bold personalities, blue jays eagerly seek out sunflower seeds. They often grab several seeds at once, flying off to hide them in caches for later. Their powerful beaks allow them to handle even striped sunflower seeds with tough shells.
Black-Capped Chickadee
Tiny but energetic, chickadees are frequent visitors to feeders stocked with sunflower seeds. They typically take one seed at a time, fly off to a perch, and hammer it open against the bark. These birds are acrobatic, often hanging upside down as they feed.
Tufted Titmouse
Closely related to chickadees, tufted titmice are also fond of sunflower seeds. They are quick and deliberate feeders, often darting in to grab a seed before flying to a branch to crack it open. Their big, dark eyes and crested heads make them easy to spot.
American Goldfinch
Though known for preferring thistle and nyjer seed, goldfinches also consume sunflower seeds, particularly hulled ones. They are social birds, feeding in flocks and often lingering around feeders through much of the year.
Mourning Dove
These ground-feeding birds readily eat sunflower seeds scattered beneath feeders. Their soft cooing calls and graceful flight are familiar in backyards. With their relatively small beaks, they prefer hulled sunflower seeds but will eat whole ones too.
Downy Woodpecker
Sunflower seeds are a staple for many woodpeckers, including downy woodpeckers. They are often seen clinging to feeders or tree trunks, using their strong beaks to crack open shells. They benefit from the high-fat content of sunflower seeds, especially in winter.
Evening Grosbeak
These colorful songbirds have incredibly strong beaks designed to crush hard seeds with ease. Sunflower seeds are one of their top food choices, especially during migration and in winter when natural food supplies are low. Their presence at feeders is often marked by noisy calls and flocks descending all at once.
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
Attractive and melodious, rose-breasted grosbeaks eagerly consume sunflower seeds. They are especially fond of black oil sunflower seeds, which they crack open effortlessly with their thick beaks. They are regular summer visitors to feeders in North America.
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Agile and distinctive, these birds are well-known for their ability to climb down tree trunks headfirst. They frequently visit feeders for sunflower seeds, often taking a single seed, wedging it into bark, and hammering it open with their beak.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Another woodpecker that favors sunflower seeds, the red-bellied woodpecker is a frequent feeder visitor. Its strong bill allows it to crack even the toughest shells, and like blue jays, it often stores extra seeds in crevices for later use.
Pine Siskin
Small and streaky in appearance, pine siskins love sunflower seeds, especially hulled varieties. They often feed in groups, chirping constantly while perched at feeders. Their high energy demands make sunflower seeds an important food source.
Purple Finch
Often confused with house finches, purple finches also enjoy sunflower seeds. They are more common in forested areas but will readily visit backyard feeders. Their reddish plumage and warbling songs make them a delight to spot.
Hairy Woodpecker
Larger than the downy woodpecker, hairy woodpeckers also consume sunflower seeds, using their powerful bills to break shells. They are frequent visitors in wooded backyards and benefit from the high-energy food during cold months.
Clark’s Nutcracker
Native to mountainous regions of North America, Clark’s nutcracker is a seed specialist, well-adapted for cracking and storing seeds. While it mainly caches pine seeds in the wild, it eagerly accepts sunflower seeds at feeders, hiding extras for later consumption.
Pine Grosbeak
These large, gentle finches are fond of seeds, with sunflower seeds being a particular favorite. Found in northern forests, they often gather at feeders during the colder months, where their slow and deliberate feeding makes them easy to observe.
Evening Red Crossbill
Known for their uniquely crossed bills, crossbills are adapted to extracting seeds from cones, but they also eagerly consume sunflower seeds when offered. Their strong beaks allow them to break into shells with ease, making feeders a reliable stop.
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
Tiny but bold, brown-headed nuthatches are agile climbers that seek out sunflower seeds, particularly shelled varieties. They often carry seeds away to stash in bark crevices, displaying their resourceful nature.
Acorn Woodpecker
Although they are famous for storing acorns, acorn woodpeckers will happily feed on sunflower seeds too. They use their strong bills to crack shells, and sometimes even cache sunflower seeds in tree holes, much like they do with acorns.
Black-Capped Chickadee
These lively little birds frequently visit feeders for sunflower seeds. They typically grab a single seed, fly to a safe perch, and hammer it open before eating. Their acrobatic feeding style makes them fun to watch.
Carolina Chickadee
Similar to the black-capped chickadee, the Carolina chickadee also loves sunflower seeds. Found throughout the southeastern United States, they exhibit the same behavior of carrying seeds off to crack them open elsewhere.
European Starling
Although often considered aggressive at feeders, European starlings do eat sunflower seeds, especially hulled types. They usually arrive in noisy flocks, quickly consuming large amounts of food.
Spotted Towhee
Ground-feeding birds like the spotted towhee also appreciate sunflower seeds, particularly those that fall beneath feeders. They scratch through leaf litter or soil to find seeds, making them important cleanup birds around feeding areas.
Stellar’s Jay
These bold, mountain-dwelling jays are frequent visitors to feeders stocked with sunflower seeds. Like their eastern cousins, they have the habit of caching seeds in the ground or crevices for future meals.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Despite their name, red-bellied woodpeckers are more recognized by their bright red heads. They eagerly consume sunflower seeds at feeders, using their sturdy beaks to crack the shells open with ease.
Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
These striking birds, with their vivid red breast patches, are strong seed-crackers. They relish sunflower seeds during migration and breeding seasons, often stopping at feeders for a high-energy boost.