Whether you have a single feeder in your yard or a wildlife oasis, feeding the birds brings joy to every member of the family. Make sure it stays part of your daily life with these tips for getting more bang for your buck when it comes to the bird feeding hobby.
Use the Right Foods:
The price of discount store seed blends may look good up front. But, buyer beware! Those bags can contain as much as 90% filler grains (like milo, wheat and oats), which most songbirds don’t eat. The filler seeds are typically thrown to the ground uneaten, resulting in a mess under your feeders and money wasted.
Use No-Mess Blends:
Traditional blends include seeds that are still in the shell, with the shells themselves accounting for up to 50% of the total weight of a bag of seed. Since birds don’t eat shells, that’s money wasted! Our WBU No-Mess Blends feature seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left. Pound-for-pound, our No-Mess Blends offer the best value because you don't pay for uneaten seed waste. The birds eat everything.
Use Seed Cylinders:
Seed Cylinders are made from tightly-packed, high-quality bird food. Simply put, they are the easiest, longest-lasting way to feed your birds. Cylinders are available in many different blends, including some with hot pepper to keep the critters at bay.
Protect Your Bird Food:
Use baffles and cages to protect bird food from critters and to keep nuisance birds (like starlings and grackles) from eating all the food. Use weather guards to help keep rain from spoiling foods in your feeders, so it doesn't go to waste.
Feed a Little at a Time:
Bird feeders are a beneficial daily supplement to natural diets and not the birds’ sole source of food. It’s fine to dole out a limited amount of food instead of keeping feeders full continuously. Even though it may only last a few hours, a scoop or two of food each day (ideally served at a time when you know you can watch) is more beneficial to the birds and enjoyable for you than filling feeders once a week.
Join our Daily Savings Club!
One of the best ways to stretch your bird feeding budget is to join our Daily Savings Club®. For your annual membership fee, you receive these benefits:
15% OFF regular prices of all bird food every day.
5% OFF bird food sales prices.
$10 Bird Buck coupon for every $200 purchased throughout the store.
Members-only specials
It's a great way to make your birds happy and save money, too!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Save the Date for these upcoming in-store events!
Landscape Photography Tips Part I
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 8:30am-10:00am at Wild Birds Unlimited 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plz. Unit 174 Ashburn, VA 20147
Award-winning nature photographer Jim Clark returns for another nature photography seminar, this time focusing on landscapes. Jim has so much to share that he must do it in two parts! Part I covers types of natural light for landscape photography, Jim's preferred post-processing software, his favorite lenses for landscape photography, plus some useful tips and “stories behind the images” from his 50 years of experience.
About Nature Photographer Jim Clark:
A past president of the North American Nature Photography Association, Jim Clark has also been the nature photography instructor for the Chincoteague Bay Field Station, Wallops Island, Virginia and a columnist for Virginia Wildlife magazine. He has been a former contributing editor for Outdoor Photographer magazine. The author/photographer of seven books and hundreds of magazine articles, Jim is particularly proud of two children’s books he did with his son, who was ten at the time. Jim is the recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association.
Seats fill quickly. Please RSVP by calling 703-687-4020 or email us at [email protected].
(Part II will be scheduled for a later date.)
Raptor Presentation with Live Birds
Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025 10:00am-12:00pm at Wild Birds Unlimited 44110 Ashburn Shopping Plz. Unit 174 Ashburn, VA 20147
Join us for a special and educational morning as we welcome presenters from Secret Garden Birds and Bees. This local all-volunteer organization works with wildlife rehabilitators, falconers, naturalists, biologists and beekeepers to share their love of nature and wildlife. We are looking forward to meeting some live birds of prey and learning more about these amazing creatures. Please RSVP by calling 703-687-4020 or email us at [email protected].