Millet is a small, round seed that is a favorite of ground-feeding birds. Birds are especially attracted to White Millet . Nyjer® (thistle) attracts finches of all kinds, especially goldfinches. It’s their favorite food!
This of course begs the query “What does a millet seed look like?”
Millet looks like tiny corn kernels or seeds; small, round, and white or ivory in color. They also can be sold in the form of flour, flakes or packaged as millet “grits”. Can I grow millet in my garden? Millet is a classed as grain sorghum and is a popular ingredient in birdseed. Millet can be planted in any soil that can produce corn.
Millet commonly sold in the United States consists of small, round, yellowish seeds . Like most other whole grains, millet can also be purchased in different forms such as flakes or flour, as well as intact grains.
While reading we ran into the question “What is the difference between Millet and Milo seeds?”.
Both are little round seeds that get kicked to the ground. Millet gets eaten (unless your mix is too heavy in millet), but milo is a filler – birds don’t like it. Be careful about using most commercial mixes from the grocery store or big box stores.
What is millet for birds?
Millet Millet is a small, round seed that is a favorite of ground-feeding birds . Birds are especially attracted to White Millet.
Why do birds like millet?
They also assist in heart health and are beneficial for muscle function. Millet is especially good for young birds because it provides the calories and protein to sustain their growth . Birds really love the taste and texture of this seed, too.
Millet is especially good for young birds because it provides the calories and protein to sustain their growth. Birds really love the taste and texture of this seed, too. This seed is a favorite for ground feeding birds such as juncos, cardinals, towhees, doves, quail and sparrows.
You could be asking “Will birds eat red millet?”
My answer is again, birds prefer white millet to red millet. But FYI, if you do get a wild bird seed mix and see little red seeds, make sure it is red millet and not milo. Birds will eat red millet, but milo ( Sorghum bicolor) is a filler seed used in cheap bird seed mixes.
It’s also often given as a treat for caged birds such as budgerigars, canaries, finches and small parrots. In fact, for caged birds, it’s recommended to give them a sprig of millet at least once a week as it has a lower oil content than other types of seeds such as sunflower and safflower seeds.
You could be asking “What kind of birds eat white proso millet?”
One answer was white proso millet bird seed is a favorite or a near number one bird food, of many ground feeding birds like Mourning Doves, Carolina Wrens, Dark-eyed Juncos, Eastern & Spotted Towhees, House Finches, Buntings, many types of Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Tanagers, Pine Siskins, Thrashers, Thrushes, Grouse, Pheasants, and Quail.
What is millet and what does it do?
Millet aids in digestion and helps ease stress, making it a great treat during molting, weaning or breeding. Millet is a small round seed , typically white, yellow or red in color.
Sprouting millet plants Millets (/ ˈmɪlɪts /) are a group of highly variable small-seeded grasses , widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.
The name “millet” refers to several different but related grains from the grass family Poaceae. They look like tiny corn kernels and cost about a quarter of what you would pay for quinoa, making them among the more economical grains available. They are also naturally gluten-free. Like many whole grains, millet can be purchased as flour or flakes .
How long does it take for millet seeds to mature?
The millet will mature in 6-10 weeks , though your backyard birds will likely find the seeds long before they are fully ripe. As the seed ripens, you can clip the long clumped seed heads to feed to the birds, or you can strip the small seeds from the seed heads if preferred.
The seeds are heat-sterilized during importation to limit their chance of spreading while retaining their food value . White millet is a favorite with ground-feeding birds including quails, native American sparrows, doves, towhees, juncos, and cardinals.