Backyard birding is one of the most peaceful, meaningful, and rewarding ways to experience nature in Northeast Ohio. So take a break from the hustle and bustle of life to enjoy this soothing source of natural beauty. You’ll get a sense of peace and joy, and it’ll be good for the birds, too!
Studies show birds with access to backyard feeders have overall better health and increased energy stores for migration and/or winter survival. And, because birds eat much more than seed, suet, and nectar, attracting and nurturing your backyard bird population will create benefits like organic insect pest control and increased flower pollination, which result in more luxurious flowerbeds!
Improve your garden for the birds by providing the basics of food, water, and shelter. You can even attract winter species by meeting their needs during the coldest months.
Our own premium blend offering protein, fat, and fiber, Petitti Wild Bird Mix contains black oil sunflower seed, striped sunflower seed, white millet, milo, wheat, and red millet to attract a variety of Northeast Ohio favorites including blackbirds, cardinals, chickadees, goldfinches, nuthatches, and titmice. It’s especially loved by doves, juncos, sparrows, and other finches.
Our own premium blend offering crude protein, fat, and fiber, Petitti Cardinal Mix contains sunflower seed, safflower seed, and sunflower kernels to specifically attract and please Ohio’s state bird, the cardinal. It also happens to be enjoyed by blackbirds, chickadees, doves, finches, juncos, nuthatches, sparrows, and titmice.
Our own premium blend offering crude protein, fat, and fiber, Petitti Finch Mix contains chipped sunflower kernels, canary seed, and niger to attract goldfinches and other finch species, as well as juncos and sparrows.
Our own premium, all-purpose blend offering crude protein, fat, and fiber, Petitti Songbird Mix contains sunflower seed, shelled peanuts, and safflower seed to a wide variety of songbirds.
Perhaps the most familiar and most popular type of birdseed, black oil sunflower seed can be considered the perfect birdseed in that it attracts the most species possible for a single seed type. Birds appreciating black oil sunflower in Northeast Ohio include blackbirds, blue jays, doves, goldfinches, juncos, and sparrows. Cardinals, chickadees, sparrows, and other finches are especially big fans of this type of seed.
Not to be confused with black oil sunflower seeds, which are slightly larger and similar in shape, safflower seeds offer great nutrition for birds. Sourced from the annual safflower plant, the seeds have a bitter flavor that is liked by certain birds and disliked by other birds often known as the “bullies” of birding. Cardinals, doves, and finches are especially fond of safflower, and the seed will also attract chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice. Grackles, blackbirds, starlings, and squirrels are known to leave this seed alone.
Nyjer seed, also called thistle or niger, is the seed of the African yellow daisy, and the name harkens back to the plant’s geographic origin. Nyjer is a top seed choice for attracting goldfinches, but it’s also enjoyed by doves, juncos, and other finches.
A great option if you prefer to avoid the piling up of shells underneath your feeder, sunflower chips are 100% edible and enjoyed by all seed-eating birds. No shells, or seed hulls, means no mess to clean up!
Sourced from shelled peanuts and offering crude protein, fat, and fiber, adding peanut pieces to your backyard birding buffet is an excellent way to spark interest from birds. Second only to Black Oil Sunflower in their ability to attract a wide variety of species, peanut pieces are particularly compelling to woodpeckers, blue jays, and titmice, while also drawing blackbirds, cardinals, chickadees, doves, goldfinches and other finch species, nuthatches, and sparrows.
Raw peanuts are the single highest source of protein and fat that you can offer birds. Especially used for attracting blue jays, they’re also enjoyed by blackbirds, titmice, and woodpeckers.
Recognized as the #1 food for attracting woodpeckers, suet cakes are blocks of hard animal fat mixed with other ingredients such as cornmeal, peanuts, fruits, or even dried insects. Suet is high in energy and easily digested and metabolized by birds, making it an especially important food during cold winter months. Petitti’s carries Berry Suet, Orange Suet, Hot Pepper Suet, High-Energy Suet, Peanut Suet, and Woodpecker Suet, plus Woodpecker Treat Suet Plugs made for use with plug feeders. Other bird species attracted by suet include blackbirds, blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, orioles, sparrows, and titmice.
Dried whole kernel corn is available at Petitti’s to aid in attracting larger birds and also cracked corn to draw in smaller birds. Specific Northeast Ohio bird species appreciating corn include blackbirds, blue jays, cardinals, doves, juncos, sparrows, and woodpeckers. Ear corn is also available to attract and satisfy the needs of squirrels, which helps to keep the squirrels busy and away from your bird feeders!
We have nine locations across Northeast Ohio, spanning the Cleveland, Akron-Canton, and Youngstown communities. Search here to find the location most convenient for you.
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