Our cardinals seem to like peanuts but they can’t really handle one in the shell; can’t open their beaks wide enough to grip it. So we make sure they get the busted ones so there’s an edge they can grab. Or they get safflower seeds which they have no problem with.
I primarily only feed the birds during snow season, and then I put out shelled and unshelled so everyone can grab their preference. They all seem to prefer the ones in shells (freshness? more natural taste?) but if it’s the smaller birds or a squirrel that wants to really load itself up, they’ll grab the loose pieces.
Most of the jays refuse to touch the ones not in shells though if whole ones are available and some will even hang back for a while to see if I’ll toss some more good ones before they’ll settle for the loosies. They’ll get pretty competitive for them too.
Our cardinals seem to like peanuts but they can’t really handle one in the shell; can’t open their beaks wide enough to grip it. So we make sure they get the busted ones so there’s an edge they can grab. Or they get safflower seeds which they have no problem with.
I primarily only feed the birds during snow season, and then I put out shelled and unshelled so everyone can grab their preference. They all seem to prefer the ones in shells (freshness? more natural taste?) but if it’s the smaller birds or a squirrel that wants to really load itself up, they’ll grab the loose pieces.
Most of the jays refuse to touch the ones not in shells though if whole ones are available and some will even hang back for a while to see if I’ll toss some more good ones before they’ll settle for the loosies. They’ll get pretty competitive for them too.