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Crazy question

Pat Z5or6 SEMich

9 years ago

I know this is a crazy question, but here goes anyway because it's bugging me. Two of my tube feeders hang next to each other with different food. One has BOSS, the other one has Safflower only. The birds like both equally well, it seems, the perches on both are equally occupied all the time. But what I don't get is why so much uneaten Safflower ends up on the ground under the feeder when I distinctly see birds eating the Safflower at the feeder. I mean, are they pulling out more than they can eat from each opening but not eating if off the ground? Even the cardinals, who are primarily ground feeders and LOVE safflower, are not eating it off the ground. It's there every day. Maybe other critters are eating it at night but that's not what I buy it for. I feed Saff to dissuade the squirrels and black birds from the Saff tube feeder. Would you just stop buying safflower if so much ends up on the ground and doesn't seem to get eaten? So you know why this is happening? Should I find a job?

Featured Answer

1600hunt

9 years ago

I used to put safflower in a tube feeder. 100% safflower, never had put any other seed in that tube feeder. The house finches would dump the seed on the ground under they found one seed they liked. So I attached a round plastic tray to the bottom of the tube feeder to catch the spillage. The mourning doves would park in the tray and clean out the feeder. The perches were too short for them to sit on so they never were a bother until I added the tray. Given the cost of safflower, I stopped putting it out. The Cardinals are just as happy with the black-oil sunflower seeds.

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Comments (8)

catherinet
9 years ago
I have a crazy question too, since I don't use safflower seed. Is it in a shell and you're seeing the shells on the ground? Do you ever see several pieces come out at once when a bird is getting some out? Maybe they don't know exactly what it is, but spit it out when they try it but don't like it? Does the seed you buy have any additives?

And for heaven's sake, DON'T GET A JOB!! :) :)
Pat Z5or6 SEMich
Original Author
9 years ago
cath, I wrote a reply to you here and it never "took." I'll have to do it again tomorrow. Strange. I discovered my saff feeder did not have an attached tray to catch the seeds like most all tube feeders have.
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catherinet
9 years ago
Hmmm......I wonder why they won't eat it off the ground though?? Don't you hate it when you write something and it gets lost in cyber space? Sorry!
Pat Z5or6 SEMich
Original Author
9 years ago
cath, I'm switching to a sunflower/safflower mix and have a new question to ask on another post. I will just let this one die for now. You are a dear heart for being there.
catherinet
9 years ago
Ok! :)
Pat Z5or6 SEMich
Original Author
9 years ago
1600hunt, in fact, Cornell Ornithology says Cardinals prefer sunflower but will readily eat safflower and I find that my Cards really love the saff but I'm still switching to a sun/safflower mix. And the amount of finches I have now is astounding. I've seen one chickadee and one downy woodpecker and one cardinal in my mix and the rest are all finches. That's why my suet goes up tomorrow so I can hope to see more chickadees, nuthatches, and hopefully a Carolina wren again, along with more woodpeckers. Last year I got a large Northern Flicker and nearly fainted.
Pat Z5or6 SEMich
Original Author
9 years ago
P.S. If I would spend as much time cleaning my house as I do watching the birds, I would be very happy.

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