The black oil seeds (“oilers”) have very thin shells, easy for virtually all seed-eating birds to crack open, and the kernels within have a high fat content, extremely valuable for most winter birds. Why many bird seed mixes are filled with stuff birds won’t eat Milo, a common component of many commercial bird seed mixes, comes from the sorghum plant. It is a favorite among cardinals. As a bird food, yes it is relatively new. Safflower has a bitter flavor and a unique shape that grackles, blackbirds and starlings typically avoid. Please note that for many birds, including cardinals who have never encountered it, safflower is an acquired taste. Safflower seeds, the new kid on the block? However, these seeds are popular among cardinals. Feed your backyard birds while keeping pests away with Safflower Seed birdseed. Ask Northern Cardinals in my yard to pick their favorite seed and they would say safflower. However, as an added benefit, “nuisance” birds like grackles and crows don’t seem to care much for safflower seed … So, instead of putting a variety of seeds in my various feeders, I only put the safflower seeds. White in color, safflowers are the type of seeds that offers the maximum of nutritional properties to many varieties of back yard birds. Records show its history as a plant coming from the Euphrates River Valley. This seed has a recorded history as old as time itself. Other than these bright red birds, songbirds like chickadees, titmice, grosbeaks, buntings, nuthatches, etc. Safflower seeds have a thick shell, hard for some birds to crack open. Note the color in the photo above that give the seed it's name, safflower is normally pure white.This new version claims to be higher in oil content, higher in protein and higher in fat, making it more desirable to feeder birds. These are just some of the birds who will eat safflower – there are certainly others. I'm not saying that birds wont eat your seeds, I'm saying that it isn't the preferred feed that marketers want you to believe it is. However, these seeds are popular among cardinals. Only a small percentage of people feeding birds offer safflower. Though they may pose some great dietary value and look like the most appealing of seed types, only an elite class of bird will choose to eat safflower seeds! Safflower Seeds Do birds Really Prefer it? Some grosbeaks, chickadees, doves, and native sparrows also eat it. As a commodity, it is as old as time. They then proceeded to fish out and eat only the sunflower seeds, discarding the safflower on the ground (where it promptly sprouted). Safflower Seed For Birds. These high-quality seeds are grown and harvested in America and can be used in any birdfeeder. The list of birds which eat safflower seeds is topped by the cardinals – crested thick-billed North American birds. Black-oil sunflower: Sunflower seed is probably the most popular seed, and the black-oil seeds have a thin shell that easy for all seed-eating birds to crack. also feed on these bitter seeds which the larger, aggressive species detest. Canary seed is very popular with House Sparrows and cowbirds—birds that many people would prefer not to attract. There are different types of sunflower seeds, often named for the markings on their shell (black, striped, etc). Several sites recommended making the switch gradually.