Tips on Where to Buy Birdseed

Buying birdseed for your garden can be a challenge whether you have years of experience or you’re just starting out. Quite often you will find that there is lots of choice, a vast range in price and all type of different quantities on offer. 

There are many places to buy birdseed in the UK and sometimes it can be difficult to know where is the best place. Sometimes it depends on the type of transportation you have as some of the packs come in 25kg bags. Clearly if you were travelling by bus, this would not be the best type of birdseed to buy. Here in the UK, birdseed is generally available to buy from the following places: 

• Garden Centres
• Supermarkets
• Discount Stores
• Market Stalls
• Online stores
• Pet stores

It is also worth noting that different bird seed also attracts different types of birds in the garden and you may want to cater your seed for the birds that you already have to ensure that they have plenty of food when they need it and to suit the birds that are already living in and around your garden. 

Buying birdseed online

Buying birdseed online has many benefits, especially when you are looking to buy large quantities of seed for your garden. This is mainly because you won’t have to do any of the heavy lifting yourself and you can rely on good quality seed being delivered to your home (in part due to the packaging being sealed from the point of manufacture).

If you are buying small amounts of seed, you may want to consider the delivery fees on top of the product price itself. Generally, even if you are buying small amounts of bird seed, it would be cost effective to buy multiple smaller bags to qualify for free delivery. 

Ensure that birdseed is bought from reliable sources. Read the reviews to ensure you are buying a good product.

One of our favourite seeds available online are:

RHS Wild Bird Feed

This complete seed mix is suitable for seed feeders, ground feeding and table feeding. Because it is a mixed wild seed, it can be used all year round and will also attract a variety of birds including sparrows, blackbirds and robins.

Ensure that there is plenty available at both dawn and dusk to benefit your local wildlife.

A 12.75kg bag is available from Waitrose & Partners Garden or you can pickup a smaller 2kg bag is available for delivery from Amazon.

RHS Wild Bird Feed Ultimate High Energy No Mess Mix

This mix can be used all year round but is best suited to winter and spring feeding. With a mix of sunflower hearts and peanuts, it will attract robins and finches into your back garden as well as other species.

This product is only available in 1.9kg bags and is available online for delivery from Waitrose & Partners Garden or Amazon

Extra Select – Wild Bird Food – Wheat Free

This wheat free bird seed has been developed to attract songbirds and finches to the garden. Because it is a wheat free mix, it will discourage birds such as pigeons and doves.

The mix is also fledgeling safe and is suitable for parent birds to feed to their young making this and all year round mix.

It is best suited to seed feeders but can equally be used onto the ground or on tables.

Available through Amazon

RHS High energy sunflower hearts

Whilst sunflower hearts are rather expensive as a bird feed, they will attract both Blue Tits and Robins into your garden.

These are rich in oil and high energy seeds that are also non germinating, so no unwanted cultivation. Suitable for seed feeders as well as ground and table feeding.

Available through Waitrose & Partners Garden

Large 25kg bag from Amazon

General Tips for Buying Seed

• Always check the content of the seed. Sometimes the price can be appealing but if the birds are not going to eat it, you are better off not buying it. Always ensure that the seed is quality and have the welfare of the birds in mind. Quality is often better than quantity.
• Buy seed during sales. If there is a particular seed that you use within the garden, stock up when it is on offer. Often seed goes on sale either when not in season or during times when birds are not feeding as much.
• Growing your own seed is a great way of producing food naturally in your garden. Ensuring that there are berries, sunflowers and natural habitats where birds can feed will prove but nothing but beneficial for your visitors.
• Garden Centres often stock a wide variety of bird seed and will be able to offer you some advice on the best bird feed to buy or your garden.
• Having a variety of seed available for your birds will vary their diet and attract different birds to your garden. It can also help if you are trying to feed your birds on a budget.