8 Types Of Birds That Love Eating Oats

If you consider yourself a bird lover, you know that one of the best ways to attract them to your yard is with birdseed and fresh water. By creating a sanctuary for flying friends, you can ensure that they keep frequenting your property. While you may be happy shelling out money for fancy bird seed blends to fill your feeders with, a staple that you likely already have in your kitchen  — oats — could have several types of birds flocking to your yard.

Among the types of birds that enjoy oats are cardinals, ducks, finches, blackbirds, and doves, so you'll be able to attract a variety of avian visitors with this breakfast ingredient. To guarantee that you aren't committing any bird-feeding blunders, it's good to first learn a few basics about providing oats for backyard birds. For starters, oats have starchy compounds that can create a glue-like effect when wet — feeding wet oats to birds can be dangerous as it can seal their beaks shut or make it difficult to open them. Because of this, it's imperative to only feed birds dry oats; if it rains, be sure to swap out the soaked oats for new, dry ones. Secondly, birds' digestive systems are different than humans, so they should only be fed 100% oats, not instant oat packets that can be contain sugar, salt, dehydrated milk, and flavors. Rolled oats, steel-cut oats, or quick oats are all viable options for feeding the aforementioned bird types.

If you love seeing Northern cardinals coming to your backyard, you're in luck; these beloved, bright red birds will happily munch on oats that you leave out for them. Depending on the approach you wish to take, you can ditch the bird feeder for a better way to attract cardinals — leaving oats on a plate — or you can mix some oats into your larger bird feeder. It's important that you only put oats in the feeder if they will stay dry within, otherwise you'll risk gumming up the seeds.

If you have a pond in your backyard that is frequented by ducks, you might be surprised to learn that oats are one of these swimming fowls' favorite snacks. Oats are often, in fact, recommended as a healthier alternative to other snacks, like bread, that are commonly fed to ducks. The simplicity of oats makes them entirely safe and easy to digest.

Sparrows enjoy oats as a source of food, and if you sprinkle some on your patio, you might soon find them frequenting your backyard. Oatmeal has a good balance of all the macronutrients that birds need to stay healthy, so it makes a perfect offering for these dainty birds. While you're at it, read up on tips to help you create a sparrow-friendly habitat with native plants they enjoy.

Oats are a kitchen staple that will make your bird feeder irresistible to house finches. These small and cheery birds are common in most of the United States. While they love sunflower seeds, you can mix in oats and they will be grateful to you. Finches are used to feeding from shrubs, so you'll have the best luck attracting them to your yard with elevated feeders. Also, since house finches are quite small, try quick oats, which will be easier for them to eat.

Doves are a gentle type of bird that are loved for their sweet cooing chirps. If you adore seeing them in your backyard and would like them to come more often, oats are a great way to draw them in. Doves love eating this grain and also commonly come to backyard bird feeders, but because of the shape of their bodies, they will struggle to alight on small perches. Instead, use a platform feeder that you can generously sprinkle with oats for these visitors. You can also just spread oats on the ground for them to snack on.

A bird that you might see frequenting your fresh pile of oats is the blackbird. Much like doves, blackbirds are best suited to ground feeding, so simply spreading some oats on your patio or around your yard is a great way to start seeing more of them. If you're looking for more tips to turn your yard and garden into a bird haven, check out the concept of birdscaping.

Partridges are oat lovers, for sure. These birds are mainly present in the northwestern United States and are most often found in the grasslands and prairies and are ground foragers. You'll have the best luck simply throwing a handful of oats out for them to find. Even still, it's best to manage your expectations: If you live in developed area, you're unlikely to see them in your backyard as they like tall grasses.

Indigo buntings can be an excellent type of bird to invite with oats. These brightly colored birds are commonly found in the eastern United States and are foragers who enjoy a diverse diet. Since they like small seeds, it may be best to use quick-cooking oats, which are smaller than rolled oat flakes. You can try using a hopper feeder to hold your oats, which is something that indigo buntings love to eat from.