How to Stretch Your Feed Dollars

To the birds, all seed is free, whether it's from a flower stalk or a feeder. We humans know better, especially with the price of birdseed climbing the past few years.

The food industry is using sunflower oil for more healthful frying, leaving less seed for birds. Croplands once devoted to seed crops are increasingly being planted in corn for ethanol production. Add the higher costs of shipping heavy birdseed, and you'll understand why bird feeding is taking a bigger bite out of your budget. But you still want to feed the birds in your neighborhood, so here are some ways to stretch your bird-feeding dollar:

• Choose a single variety of seed over a mix.

• If you have a single feeder, fill it with black oil sunflower seed, which is attractive to the widest variety of birds.

• Cut down on seed waste by attaching a saucer beneath the feeder to catch what birds toss around, or use a platform feeder.

• Keep squirrels out of your feeders. They consume huge quantities of seed. Invest in squirrel-proof feeders, place your feeders at least 15 feet from trees, shrubs and structures that squirrels can use as jumping platforms or try feeding the squirrels. Give them whole corn kernels in a bucket at least 30 feet from bird feeders.

Read more: How to stretch your feed dollars

By VAL CUNNINGHAM, Contributing Writer
StarTribune.com