Cole's Wild Bird Products, Co., Says, The Rule Of Thumb For Buying All-Natural Birdfeed Is "If You Can't Read It, Don't Feed It."

KENNESAW, Ga., June 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Have you ever wondered what's in your favorite packaged foods, grabbed a box from your pantry, read the ingredients and realized you still didn't know what you're eating? The ingredients in some processed foods can read like a chemist's shopping list. Now imagine if backyard birds could read. What would they say about the ingredients in the food you feed them?

A growing number of Americans are choosing natural foods for their pets; nearly one-third prefer natural products, according to PetFoodIndustry.com. People who feed wild birds want to feed the most natural, nutritious options. It's hard to have confidence when reading the mystifying ingredient list on feed bags makes you feel like a bird brain.

With many options, ranging from commercial birdseeds to small-batch varieties, understanding the differences can help bird lovers make informed choices to meet wild birds' nutritional needs while considering sustainability and quality.

The wild bird experts at Cole's Wild Bird Products, Co. offer these tips to ensure you're feeding your feathered friends a healthy, natural diet.

While commercial birdseeds aim to provide basic nutrition for birds, the quality and nutritional content can vary. Some mixes contain a high proportion of less desirable seeds and fillers, offering limited nutrition.

Small batch birdseeds prioritize nutritional content, using premium ingredients rich in essential nutrients, fats and proteins, providing birds with a more balanced diet, and promoting overall health.

Avoid commercial birdseeds that are full of cheap fillers, like red milo, millet, cracked corn, oats and wheat. Fillers lack nutritional value and birds kick them out of the feeder. Instead, select small batch, natural feed comprised of top-of-the-crop seeds which contain no chemicals or mineral oil, like Cole's.

Some commercial birdseeds are coated with mineral oil and mixed with crushed rock to add "vitamins." Current regulations allow manufacturers to list nutritional components of mineral oil (iron, zinc) and crushed rock (vitamin A, calcium carbonate) separately, which can make the ingredients look more impressive. Mineral oil makes birdseed shiny and helps hide dirt and dust, and crushed rock adds weight.

Focus on ingredients you can't read; often it's an indication the ingredient is synthetic, or lab engineered. Ingredients like menadione sodium bisulfite complex and thiamine mononitrate aren't found in natural foods; they're man-made versions of vitamins. The rule of thumb for buying all-natural is "If you can't read it, don't feed it."

Serve feed with an ingredient list you can read. For instance, Cole's Sunflower Meats contains nothing but shelled sunflower seeds and White Millet contains 100% white millet. Super simple, right?

Research feed your backyard birds prefer or buy feed from a reputable company that's done that work for you. For example, Cole's offers select natural seed choices developed and based on research about what birds actually eat. Feed is specifically formulated to attract certain species of birds as well as the largest number of birds. No cheap filler seeds are used and seed is cleaned to ensure quality – no sticks and dirt. When you serve what backyard birds prefer, they'll keep coming back.

Supplement seed with natural foods you have at home. For example, woodpeckers love raw peanuts, mockingbirds love fruit, orioles love oranges and chickadees savor suet.

Buy feed from companies specializing in wild bird food. Some offer birdseed as a side product of pet products or grass seed producers. Conversely, Cole's exclusively produces and sells products for feeding backyard birds. Seeds are packaged like human food in "Harvest Fresh Lock" packaging, so seeds don't lose nutritional content or dry out.

Visit coleswildbird.com  to learn more about all-natural feed options with ingredients even birds could understand.

Media Contact:
Joan Casanova
203.292.8820
[email protected]

SOURCE Cole's Wild Bird Products, Co.