Birds such as doves, sparrows and small birds are all birds that naturally search for food, etc. on the ground. These same birds love Millet when offered in a tray feeder near the ground. It is a small, round seed that can offer alone or as part of a seed blend.
The black seed attracts the widest variety of birds, so the mainstay for most backyard bird feeders is the sunflower seeds. Other varieties of seeds can help attract different types of birds to round out your backyard visitors.
Owners should notice bird habits and look for small changes in behavior, food consumption, water use, and feather conditions to see general signs of disease in birds. Pet bird owners should be aware of the built-in subconscious mental protective process and be alert to small changes in their bird.
General Signs of Disease in Birds
Fluffed feathers
Increased sleeping or eyes closed
Inactivity or lack of interest in things that are near and around something.
Decreases or changes in speaking or singing
Sitting low on the perch
Sitting on the bottom of the cage
Hanging onto the side of the cage by the beak rather than perching
Weakness
Losing balance, teetering, or falling off perch
Walking in circles
Shaking with fear or emotion or seizures
Changes in breathing, such as breathing with an open beak, breathing loudly or clicking sounds when breathing, sneezing, tail moving up and down when taking a breath
Discharge or crusts around the openings at the bottom of the nose
Heavy breathing after exercise, or inability to exercise
Eyes dull, sunken, or different from what's usually expected color
Drooped or made higher wings
Lumps or swelling of any part of the body
Picking at the feathers or body
Not making yourself look good
Changes in color or frequency of droppings or urine
Increased or decreased appetite or thirst
Vomiting or repeating vomiting
Weight loss use a scale,or well-known keel (breast bone )
Food poisoning. The most common disease of feeder birds, Salmonellosis is caused by bacteria from the related group of living things Food poisoning and often begins as an intestinal-area (of land) infection. ...
Trichomoniasis.
Aspergillosis.
Bird-related pox.
Mites and Lice.
Lyme Disease.
Preventing Spread of Sicknesses at Bird Feeders.
Dead or Sick Birds.
Junk Food:
Junk food such as chips, cheese puffs, corn chips, pretzels, and other foods are all bad for birds. They offer very little nutritional value and are filled with processed chemicals that have not been tested on birds, so their effects cannot be predicted.
Raw Meat:
Many birds are meat-eating, but avoid offering raw meat in any form, including ground meats or meat scraps. These foods can spoil very quickly and will grow dangerous bacteria that can kill birds.
Cookies
Scraps of cookies, donuts, cakes, pies, cupcakes, and other sweets (baked food) may seem perfect for birds, but just like other junk food. Make bird "cookies" from suet, cornmeal, peanut butter, and other healthy foods.
Honey
Honey is a natural sweetener and can be healthy for humans, but it is not good for birds. Even the best quality, organic honey can hold/hide/give shelter to bacteria and grow mold that can be deadly to backyard birds.3 Avoid using honey to make hummingbird nectar or oriole nectar and do not include it in any suet cake recipes or homemade decoration projects.
Salt
Foods high in salt are not good for humans, and the same is true for birds. Avoid offering birds any foods high in salts, such as salty meats, chips, or other animal foods that include salt nutritional value. Similarly, no salty seeds, such as flower snacks, should be given to birds.
Milk
Milk-producing animals, birds are mostly unable to digest milk products and cannot eat large amounts of milk. Avoid offering birds any soft cheeses or milk directly, and concentrate on healthier diet choices. Avoid feeding baby birds milk, if the species normally gets crop milk from its parents.
Spoiled Seed
Birdseed can go bad if it is improperly stored or allowed to rot in poor conditions, and the bugs, mold, and bacteria in the spoiled seed can cause sicknesses among feeder birds. Always check to be sure the seed is dry and fresh without strong or sharp odors, and change seed after feeders have gotten soaked to keep the seed from spoiling.
Bread
While a tiny amount of bread may be acceptable to feed birds as a rare and special treat, large amounts are poor, unhealthy food with little nutritional value. Choose healthy bread such as whole grain varieties, and make a "sandwich" that includes peanut butter, suet, seed, and other appropriate foods instead of offering plain bread.
Pesticides
Do not offer birds any fruit or seed that has been treated with bug-killing chemicals, herbicides, or possibly poisonous chemicals. Small amounts of these chemicals can be deadly to birds, and poisons may build up in birds' bodies to cause bleeding problems or be passed along to young birds.
Winter suggestions:
Black-oil sunflower seed: High in fat so it provides good energy seeds small and thin-shelled enough for small birds to crack open.
White Proso Millet: High in protein content.
Peanuts: Offer in tube-shaped metal mesh feeders designed for peanuts use a feeder with smaller openings for peanut hearts.
Suet cakes: Commercially made suet cakes fit the standard-size suet feeder (you can find vegetarian options).
Nyjer seed: Use a tube feeder with tiny holes to keep the seeds from spilling out.
Cracked corn: Medium-sized cracked corn, will quickly turn to mush and rough is too large for small-beaked birds.
Suggestions for other seasons:
Spring feeding: offers fruit, baked and crushed eggshells, and nesting materials, such as human hair, pet fur, bits of string or yarn, and small strips of cloth to help nesting birds.
Summer feeding: Limit to nectar for hummingbirds and nyjer seed for goldfinches.
Autumn feeding: offer millet, peanuts, peanut butter, and suet cakes
Features:
Black Millet Bird seeds contain specially prepared and well-balanced Proper weight - Steady and hearty growth - Clear skin - Strong beak and bones - Bright eyes and alert expression - Beautiful, shiny, and smooth feathers - Healthy and regular bird droppings Perfect for African love birds, parakeets, budgies, cockatiels, conures and other small to medium-sized birds.