Birds eat wildflower seeds, which form a significant part of their natural diet, especially during cooler months when insects are scarce. The interaction between birds and wildflowers is complex, involving specific feeding behaviors and seed preferences. This dynamic relationship influences both the birds’ nutrition and the plant life of the ecosystem, affecting propagation and garden management.
The Primary Consumers: Bird Species and Their Preferences
The type of bird dictates not only whether a wildflower seed is eaten, but also how it is consumed. Species are generally categorized by their feeding apparatus and foraging habits. Finches, such as American Goldfinches and Lesser Goldfinches, have specialized beaks that allow them to strip tiny seeds directly from the flower heads of plants like teasel, thistle, and coneflowers.
Other birds, including sparrows and doves, are categorized as ground feeders, preferring to forage for seeds that have fallen naturally or have been knocked loose by other birds. These species often consume seeds from plants like asters and goldenrod after they have dropped to the soil surface. Larger birds, such as cardinals and grosbeaks, possess more powerful, cone-shaped beaks capable of cracking the hard shells of larger seeds like those from sunflowers.
The size and strength of a bird’s beak correlates directly to the seeds it can process efficiently for energy. This specialization suggests that a diverse wildflower garden supports a wider variety of bird species throughout the year. Leaving seed heads standing through the winter months offers a sustained, natural food source when other options are scarce.
Seed Selection: Edible, Unwanted, and Toxic Wildflower Seeds
The seeds of the Asteraceae family, often called the daisy or sunflower family, are among the most highly attractive to seed-eating birds. Sunflower seeds, whether from wild or cultivated varieties, are rich in oil and protein, making them a high-value food source. Other popular seeds include those from Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.) and Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), which hold their seeds in prominent, easy-to-access cones.
Birds often ignore seeds used as inexpensive “fillers” in commercial birdseed mixes, a behavior that applies to certain wildflower seeds. Seeds like milo, wheat, and red millet are frequently discarded by songbirds, leading to waste and unwanted sprouting below feeders. Species producing seeds with extremely tough hulls or very low nutritional content may be passed over in favor of higher-calorie options.
A serious concern is the toxicity of some common garden plants, which can be deadly if their seeds are consumed. The seeds of certain plants, such as Morning Glory, can be toxic, sometimes containing psychoactive compounds. The seeds and pits of other ornamental plants and trees, including those in the nightshade family, can also pose a risk to wild birds.
Ecological Roles: Seed Dispersal and Garden Impact
The act of birds eating wildflower seeds has a dual impact on the environment: it is both a process of consumption and an agent of propagation. When birds consume seeds, they are primarily seeking the nutritional content, meaning the seed itself is usually digested and destroyed. However, seeds dropped accidentally or those that pass intact through the digestive tract (ornithochory) can sprout in new locations.
This unintentional dispersal contributes to plant migration and the establishment of wildflowers in new areas, supporting broader ecosystem health. Furthermore, the feeding habits of birds help control unwanted plants by consuming weed seeds, such as those from ragweed and various grasses.
For gardeners, this natural foraging activity creates a conflict, as birds often consume newly sown seeds before they can germinate. Gardeners frequently rely on physical barriers, such as netting or seed mulch mats, to protect newly planted areas from being entirely cleared by hungry birds.