Clean seed is seed without a lot of filler. Suet, hummingbird food and Niger seed — a seed that rats and squirrels can’t process — are clean foods for almost any situation. … If you choose hot pepper suet, he says, “birds will happily eat, but it is too spicy for mammals, so it won’t attract rats.”
How do you feed birds but not rats?
- Choose the right feeder. If you are feeding small seed such as Niger (loved by finches), make sure you choose a feeder with small holes or a seed catcher tray like this.
- Avoid Seeds with husks. …
- Choose high-quality bird food. …
- Fill your feeders at the food bin. …
- Make a seed catcher.
What animals are attracted to suet?
Suet is particularly attractive to woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, jays, and starlings. Wrens, creepers, kinglets, and even cardinals and some warblers occasionally visit suet feeders. Animal fat is easily digested and metabolized by many birds; it’s a high-energy food, especially valuable in cold weather.
