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What to Feed Cardinals - 'NOT' Sparrows or Starlings? (1 Viewer)

I am wondering if there is any specific food or seed that I can feed Cardinals that both House Sparrows and European Starlings won't eat. Recently someone suggested Safflower seed and, yes, this for the most part keeps the Starlings away but the House Sparrows love it. Is there any seed I can get for the Cardinals and other native-American bird species that the House Sparrows and Starlings won't like?
Thank you.
 
My uneducated guess would be un-shelled peanuts..I know they work well for blue jays and I'm told cardinals like the same food as jays..The nuts are too big for the smaller birds but the larger ones handle them well..
The shelled peanuts will attract smaller birds..Nuthatches, chickadees, and such..
Let us know what you learn..
 
Maybe dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas. Dont see the sparrows here taking them but starlings will be back. At least the cardinals are showing some attention. All types will be attracted to a regular source and easy supply of food. Dont forget a fresh supply of water in a wide shallow bowl.
Good luck.
 
My uneducated guess would be un-shelled peanuts..I know they work well for blue jays and I'm told cardinals like the same food as jays..The nuts are too big for the smaller birds but the larger ones handle them well..
The shelled peanuts will attract smaller birds..Nuthatches, chickadees, and such..
Let us know what you learn..

Maybe dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas. Dont see the sparrows here taking them but starlings will be back. At least the cardinals are showing some attention. All types will be attracted to a regular source and easy supply of food. Dont forget a fresh supply of water in a wide shallow bowl.
Good luck.

Thank you both for your input. Hmm. I have a feeling that the Starlings will eat the shelled peanuts? The cardinals have not been attracted to the whole peanuts in the shell. Trying shelled peanuts is worth a try.

The starlings are worse than the sparrows, at least for me. I'm creating a bird sanctuary on my small NYC fire escape. So far I have blue jays, downy woodpeckers, and gold finches. Yeah. : ) I just want the cardinals too but without the sparrows or starlings.

I also tried the fresh water approach. It did not work. Getting a fresh supply of water on my fire escape is daunting and the water needs to keep moving to avoid mosquitos in the summer. I can't use electricity and I don't like those domed water agitators. I have to be careful too. I don't want anything loose that can be tossed onto the street by the wind and be a danger to pedestrians. Because I live across the street from a park I have a feeling there is plenty of fresh water that the birds find there. Because its a fire escape and not a backyard I will have to stick to bird food only.
 
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