Wagner's57075 Safflower Seed Wild Bird Food, 5 Pound (Pack of 1)

This bird seed is more expensive than many others, but it is well worth it. It is one of the few birdseeds that does not attract squirrels. There is a big squirrel problem where i live, so this and thistle seed are the only kind I buy. Additionally, it is de germinated so I don’t have to worry about seeds sprouting up.

Amazon asks me to rate Wagner's Wild Bird Food on freshness and flavor, but I haven't tasted it and the birds do not voice much of an opinion. Safflower seed has been hard to find anywhere in early 2022, so I was happy to find it here. The price is right, the packaging is good, and the seed has no concerning appearances or smells. The birds here seem to take it just fine. (They were accustomed to Kaytee, but they voiced no complaints about changes in terroir, nose, palate or mouthfeel. It's a good vintage, but I wouldn't lay it down for more than a year.) Squirrels continue to show no interest.Here's the thing about squirrels and other unwanted visitors: your first line of defense is the shape and placement of your feeder. Forget about paying a premium for fancy mechanical devices; I've never found one that squirrels couldn't outsmart. Nevertheless, there is no point in making it easy for them. Don't give them anything that is easy to climb, jump to or hang from.Secondly, avoid seed mixes. Birds' natural behavior is to flick away any seeds that do not meet their particular culinary preferences. This sends excessive amounts of seed to the ground, where it will attract a few ground-feeding birds like mourning doves but also a lot of mammalian varmints that you would probably not welcome. I might occasionally add some nyjer seed to the tray, which does not seem to encourage flicking but does seem to appeal to wrens – an enjoyable and useful species. In the winter I place suet in a separate nearby feeder, which attracts woodpeckers of all sorts, bluebirds(!), thrashers and a few others. When grackles return in the spring, they will quickly decimate the suet, so I trade out that feeder for a hummingbird feeder. Two feeders at a time – that's it. (I've got mulberry trees and juniper trees that attract flocks of cedar waxwings a couple of times a year – a delight!)Third, safflower seed, in contrast to almost every other seed I have tried, does seem to be significantly less interesting to squirrels. I've read that it has a sour taste that mammals do not like but birds do not notice. Cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, finches and whoever is in the neighborhood seem to like it just fine.Fourth, back to the physical feeder. I have found that a design with a narrow (½”) lip on the seed tray, blocked elsewhere by the seed reservoir, keeps larger perching birds (e.g., blackbirds, grackles, starlings, robins, blue jays, etc.) off the feeder. I have also found that adding an ounce or two of fresh seed to the tray each day, placing only a few small rocks in the seed reservoir for stability in the wind, is a useful strategy. Of course the seed sometimes runs out during the day. Intermittent reinforcement has been shown to be the strongest incentive for birds to keeping coming back to see if seed has been added.

Squirrels do not like these seeds, but the birds love them. Great seed for birds. No waste.

The birds love this seed. It got rid of the blackbirds

I have to many of these food bird orders because the birds are slowly eating. Please do not send items until I "REORDER" the item. This is an excellent item but I will order when needed. Please stop the order now.

Squirrels in your birdfeeder? They don’t like safflower seed and will not bother you anymore. I did not know how to keep the squirrels out of my window feeder until friends told me about this seed. So happy to see the birds enjoying the feed and not the squirrels. No more rascals at the window letting you know they have no seed!

I researched this and google claim that squirrels do not like these seeds, but birds love them. It’s true! The squirrels have touched this birdseed and the birds do love it. This is the answer to keeping squirrels out of your bird beater!

Great addition to my rescue flicks diet, they enjoy safflower as added to their raw human grade nuts