The Backyard

Fresh, raw suet is white and has a dry, slightly crumbly texture, but this may vary to a reasonable extent. While beef suet turns yellowish and develops a buttery texture as it ages, the edible fat shouldn’t be black or dark.  The main reason why your suet is turning black is microbial growth. Stale suet […]

Any type of bird seed will eventually go bad, whether it’s hulled or has its shell intact. Thistle seed, which is actually nyjer or niger (scientific name: Guizotia abyssinica), is no exception, but how long will it last? You can store thistle seed for 3 months up to 1 year, depending on its quality and

Bird feeders are a practical and effective way to invite local birds to your yard, but they still have problems. Familiarizing yourself with the most common bird feeder issues and learning how to fix them can improve your experience and keep birds returning to your property. Bird feeders can attract unwanted visitors like squirrels and

Most birds love sunflower seeds, so most people put the seeds in their backyard feeders, whether whole or hulled. Some people wonder if they can offer salted sunflower seeds to their pets or wild birds.  Birds can eat sunflower seeds with salt but in limited quantities. Most birds can’t metabolize excess sodium, so eating a

Sunflower seeds have a tough hull, which accounts for 21% to 30% of the total weight. Since birds only eat the soft kernels of sunflower seeds and not the hard shell, they must first crack and remove the hull.  Birds crack and eat sunflower seeds by using their beaks. Several small birds use their toes

Bird feeders are a great addition to a garden as they attract an array of birds. It can be quite a treat to step out into the yard and enjoy watching the birds, but the bird seed that inevitably falls on the lawn can be damaging.  Bird seed is bad for grass because most seeds

You may have leftover bird seed for many reasons. Bird seed is expensive, so you may not want to just throw it out, but you can’t keep it in a feeder or a bag indefinitely, as it’s perishable. Here are 6 things to do with leftover bird seed: 1. Feed Wild Birds You may have

Are moles and voles becoming a problem in your yard lately? It could be due to extra birdseed in your yard, or it could be something else. Since they both have different diets, it might be difficult to determine what it could be.  Birdseed attracts moles and voles to your yard. Moles are attracted because

If you enjoy feeding the birds in your backyard, you may have noticed that some enjoy eating seeds from elevated bird feeders while others prefer feeding on the ground. So, why do some birds like to feed on the ground?  Some birds like to feed on the ground because their food of choice is insects,