Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food: Comprehensive Expert Analysis

November 9, 2021 // 7 minutes read

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Kaytee Nyjer Seed
10
Products Tested
17
Hours of Research
13
Field Test Hours
27
Users Surveyed
A Patented Thistle Seed Known For Delivering Serious Energy To Countless Wild Birds. These Bite-Sized Treats Pack A Powerful Punch For Songbirds And Finches Too!

My readers always mean the world to me. Combine this with my love of wild birds, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see that I’m willing to provide comprehensive expert analysis and share my results after testing Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food.

What did I discover that makes this product stand out?

I intend to answer this question in great detail as this review commences. I’ve discovered certain focal points that I use to determine how a particular type of bird seed stacks up against the competition.

The main categories that I delve deeply into within this review include:

  • Freshness
  • Energy
  • Nutrient Quality
  • Messiness
  • Ease of Consumption
  • Taste & Enjoyment

And I’m happy to admit that after extensive testing and comparisons, I consider Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food the Best Nyjer Seed for sale on physical and virtual shelves all across the globe.

To learn the full story and all the gritty details, please keep reading to find out the complete specifics of my review and analysis.

Kaytee Nyjer Seed

Energy
100
Freshness
80
Messiness
90
Nutrient Quality
100
Taste & Enjoyment
80
  • Weight: 8 pounds
  • Feeder Type: Platform, Hopper, Tube
  • Dimensions: 17” x 12” x 3”
  • Attracts: Swallows, Wrens, Orioles
  • Brand: Wild Delight

Overall Score:

90

The Bottom Line:

Here’s the overall breakdown: this bird food is nutritious and delivered in bite-size portions, which makes it very easy for the birds to eat. It’s packed with lots of nutrients so it provides energy to numerous birds including buntings, doves, and juncos. On occasion, unhappy customers will receive a stale batch and it occasionally dries out faster during the warm months of the summer but this doesn’t happen too often.

What’s Good

  • Excellent source of sustenance
  • Bite sized portions
  • Provides plenty of energy
  • Attracts a wide assortment of birds
  • High oil content

What’s Bad

  • Stale batch
  • Pricey
  • Dries out quickly during the summer sometimes

Our Verdict: Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food

Do you absolutely adore songbirds and finches? Are you so fond of them that you would do whatever it takes to attract them to your outdoor abode?

I get it more than you may ever realize.

And I’m happy to tell you that there is a great solution to your problem. If you pack your feeders with Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food, you’re offering your favorite finches, goldfinches, and other songbirds one of their beloved treats.

Guess what?

They’ll begin swarming your backyard on a regular basis if you keep putting out this tasty food that they really seem to love.

How do I know?

I recently experimented and tried out 3 different types of Nyjer seed to discover which one my favorite wild birds loved the best.

Hands down, I can say with complete confidence that the seed from Kaytee was a smashing success. Audubon Park Nyjer Seed and Wagner’s Nyjer Seed certainly have their merits, but Kaytee Nyjer Seed won out in the end.

For starters, this seed presents excellent nutrient ratios. I’ll share more about that below in the nutrient quality section. Just know that it provides a great healthy ratio for your favorite birds.

And the taste seems to be a big hit as well. Wild finches in my backyard took to it like a moth to flame. They constantly devoured it very quickly, so I had to purposely remain conscious of not overdoing it because I didn’t want to accidentally overfeed them.

As I said, my favorite songbirds really love this bird seed. I’ll share my expert analysis and comparison test results with you below if you’d like to find out why it was the overall winner.

Check out our in-depth review featuring 10 of our favorite bird seed & bird food options to place in your feeders.

Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results

Prepare yourself…

I’ve alluded to comparisons so far, but in the following sections I’m going to share detailed information about this product and the other products that I tested. 

After feeding my outdoor birds with Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food for a few weeks, I tested 2 more products to find out how the songbirds reacted to all three brands.

You’ll learn how Kaytee Nyjer seeds matches up with the following products:

  • Audubon Park Nyjer Seed
  • Wagner’s Nyjer Seed

One of these days, I’ll eventually test Pennington Nyjer Seed too, but I didn’t have any on hand when I began these comparisons so it’ll have to happen another time.

Overall, my main goal was to figure out which brand my backyard birds like the best. But I also wanted to focus on energy, nutrition, freshness, and other factors that you’ll learn about in a moment.

In fact, let’s dive in without any other unnecessary delays…

Energy

In this particular category, I obviously couldn’t sit down with the wild birds in my backyard and ask them which seeds gave them the most energy! Unfortunately, my name isn’t Dr. Doolittle!

So, I had to take a different approach.

I researched each of these products to find out more about the quality of the seeds. And for the most part, all 3 of these seeds possess a similar nutrient profile which means they’ll deliver roughly the same amount of energy to the birds.

On the other hand…

I also focused on the reviews from other previous customers that I read on popular pet related websites and online retailers.

Without pointing any fingers, some seeds seemed old and past their expiration date, which kept the finches and other songbirds at bay.

In other situations, the buyer experienced remorse because they felt the overall quality of the product wasn’t healthy or fresh. And in one case, I even read that the seeds were turning a funky looking brown color that definitely scared the birds away.

Overall, I rated the Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food with a 100 out of 100 because the seeds have lots of nutritional value and they provide a serious energy boost. And that’s exactly what my wild backyard birds need to lead a fulfilling and healthy life.

How the Kaytee Nyjer Seed stacks up in the energy ratings:

Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed
100
Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food
100
Kimoe Mealworms
100
Wildlife Sciences Suet
100
C&S Mealworm Delight No Melt Suet Dough
100
Wild Delight Safflower Seed
90
Wagner’s Cracked Corn
90
Cole’s White Millet Bird Seed
90
Wagner’s Deluxe Blend Wild Bird Food
80
Lyric Peanut Pieces
80

Freshness

Before digging in any further, just know that sometimes companies accidentally send their customers stale, old, and dry bird seeds that have surpassed their expiration date.

It could happen because a factory worker wasn’t paying attention or a shipment might have gotten lost or spoiled during delivery.

With that said, I rated these seeds with an 80 out of 100 score, which is pretty good overall although it’s certainly far from perfect.

As you already know, mistakes happen when products are being shipped all over the country and human beings tend to overlook things for many reasons.

When I compared the freshness levels of Kaytee’s Nyjer seed with Audubon Park and Wagner’s, I can tell you that the Kaytee brand appeared to be the freshest out of the group.

And I did my research to confirm this.

Based on info shared by additional customers, the other products seem to have more freshness issues than Kaytee. But that’s not to say that any of these companies had a serious freshness problem because they didn’t.

Every one of them had customers that purchased seeds that weren’t fresh. But this isn’t a knock on any of these companies. The seeds could have gone bad for numerous reasons long after they left the manufacturer’s warehouse.

How the Kaytee Nyjer Seed stacks up in the freshness ratings:

Wagner’s Deluxe Blend Wild Bird Food
100
C&S Mealworm Delight No Melt Suet Dough
95
Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed
90
Wild Delight Safflower Seed
90
Wildlife Sciences Suet
90
Lyric Peanut Pieces
90
Cole’s White Millet Bird Seed
90
Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food
80
Kimoe Mealworms
80
Wagner’s Cracked Corn
80

Messiness

From the perspective of messiness, I ranked this product with a 90 out of 100, which is a very fair rating in my estimation.

Why did I rate it this way?

First off, the birds love it a great deal and they tend to scoff it down very quickly. This is a good thing because it means they really like it and it means they’re going out of their way to eat up every speck of it.

But…

Nobody’s perfect and that includes songbirds. They may want to eat every bit of this food, but they certainly make a bit of a mess from time to time. This is partly true because they eat the seeds so quickly that they get some of it on the ground.

Although,

When compared to the other two products, this formula wasn’t the least messy but it wasn’t the worst one either. It fell right in the middle, which is quite acceptable in my opinion. And this is especially true because the birds like it so much.

For some reason, the least messy brand is Audubon Park, but it’s hard to pinpoint the precise reason why this is the case.

How the Kaytee Nyjer Seed stacks up in the messiness ratings:

Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food
90
Wagner’s Deluxe Blend Wild Bird Food
90
Wild Delight Safflower Seed
90
Wildlife Sciences Suet
90
C&S Mealworm Delight No Melt Suet Dough
90
Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed
80
Kimoe Mealworms
80
Lyric Peanut Pieces
80
Wagner’s Cracked Corn
70
Cole’s White Millet Bird Seed
70

Nutrient Quality

Here’s the deal:

I rated Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food with a perfect 100 out of 100 score in the category nutrient quality. And I gave it this high rating for a number of reasons.

First, I really appreciate the overall nutrient profile of the seeds. They contain the following levels of healthy vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed to maintain excellent health:

Fiber – 27%
Protein – 18%
Fat – 35%
Moisture – 12%

Believe it or not, these nutrient levels are ideal for healthy birds. They provide lots of extra fat to give young and energetic birds loads of energy. And they also have the necessary amounts of fiber, protein, and moisture for the birds to experience good health, stamina, and longevity.

And speaking of moisture…

There’s enough moisture in the seeds to keep them fresh for longer periods of time. So, you don’t have to worry about them drying out too quickly.

How the Kaytee Nyjer Seed stacks up in the nutrient quality ratings:

Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed
100
Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food
100
Wagner’s Deluxe Blend Wild Bird Food
100
Wild Delight Safflower Seed
90
Kimoe Mealworms
90
Wagner’s Cracked Corn
90
Lyric Peanut Pieces
90
Cole’s White Millet Bird Seed
90
Wildlife Sciences Suet
85
C&S Mealworm Delight No Melt Suet Dough
80

Taste & Enjoyment

In the taste department, I rated these bird seeds with an 80 out of 100, because the songbirds in my neighborhood really seem to love them.

And when matched up against Wagner’s Nyjer Seed and Audubon Park Nyjer Seed, the Kaytee seeds seem to be the most popular of them all. The birds love to gulp them down as soon as I add them to the bird feeder.

Honestly, it was really a beautiful sight to behold. I’m thrilled watching the finches go to town on these seeds because they love it so much.

But here’s a problem to consider…

You cannot let these bird seeds sit around for too long and dry out. Once they lose their oil, the flavor tends to disappear along with the oil content. And the birds no longer enjoy it because they won’t even eat it at this point.

How do I know?

I accidentally lost one of the bags in my closet for over six months. It was a little past the expiration date, but I figured I’d try the seeds anyway just to see what happened. The birds weren’t happy and they steered clear of the dried out Nyjer seeds altogether, so let that be a lesson to you and learn from my mistake!

How the Kaytee Nyjer Seed stacks up in the taste & enjoyment ratings:

Wagner’s Deluxe Blend Wild Bird Food
100
Lyric Peanut Pieces
100
Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed
90
Wagner’s Cracked Corn
90
Cole’s White Millet Bird Seed
90
C&S Mealworm Delight No Melt Suet Dough
90
Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food
80
Wild Delight Safflower Seed
80
Wildlife Sciences Suet
80
Kimoe Mealworms
75

Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food FAQs:

What Birds Are Attracted To Nyjer Seed?

Since these seeds are small, they’re very easy for songbirds and finches to consume. In fact, a wide range of birds really seem to enjoy and thrive from the seeds.

They include:

  • Redpolls
  • Quail
  • Buntings
  • Mourning Doves
  • House Finches
  • Dark Eyed Juncos
  • Song Sparrows
  • European Goldfinches
  • American Goldfinches
  • and others

Trust me when I tell you that all of the birds listed above will have no trouble eating Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food because it’s the perfect size to fit easily into their little beaks.

What Is The Best Way To Properly Store Nyjer Bird Seed?

There are two ways to approach handling your storage needs. You can either do what they initially recommend on the package or choose their alternate suggestion for storage.

On the package, Kaytee says that we should reseal the package and then store the seeds in a place that is dry and cool. Basically, you’d leave them in the bag and hope they stay fresh.

As an alternative preference, Kaytee recommends taking the Nyjer seeds out of the original packaging and storing them in a sealed container.

Why?

If you place them in a sealed container, they will stay fresher for much longer than they would in an opened plastic bag. The sealed container will also protect the seeds from insect infestation, which occurs naturally with this type of whole-grain seed.

Which Season Is Nyjer Thistle Seed The Most Popular Amongst Backyard Birds?

Birds will eat Nyjer seed during every season, but they typically tend to gorge themselves on it during the winter months.

I’m not sure why, but I’m sure it has to do with not being able to access other food sources during the winter. 

So, make sure to always fill your bird feeders during the freezing cold months because many of your local feathered friends are counting on these seeds to help them survive during this difficult time of year.

Is Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food Grown In The USA?

If you can trust the packaging, and I have absolutely no reason to believe that you can’t, then you’ll be happy to know that the seeds are grown in the USA.

As a matter of fact, right on the package it says in big bold letters: Proudly Made In The USA!

So yes, the seeds come from the United States. They aren’t shipped from somewhere else in the world, so you’re definitely getting the freshest Nyjer seeds possible when you purchase from Kaytee.

Our Final Verdict: Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food

I think it’s awesome that you made it all the way here after learning about Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food on my blog. It’s my absolute pleasure to share this information with you and I truly hope that it was informative, entertaining, and exactly what you were looking for.

At the end of the day, this bird seed stood out amongst the crowd and really impressed me a great deal. Even more important, it really impressed the local songbirds that frequent my backyard because they can’t seem to get enough of it.

So, I feel strongly about awarding this product with the Best Nyjer Seed designation.

To reiterate, I chose this product as the best of the best because:

  • The songbirds and finches in my backyard gobble it up, and this is especially true during the winter
  • It gives the birds an added boost of energy because of the healthy fat content located in the oil in the seeds
  • It has a wonderful nutrient profile and it’s exactly what these birds need
  • My favorite online retailer always delivered fresh and wholesome seeds that the wild birds in my life seemed to devour at every opportunity
  • Other birds including American goldfinches, chickadees, buntings, nuthatches, towhees, and more also love this great tasting seed

Do you plan to learn more about other types of birdseed? I’ve tested out dozens of brands and a plethora of different bird seeds and narrowed my list to my 10 favorites. Read my expert opinion and analysis by heading over to: 2024 Review Of The Best Bird Seed

Or another approach might be…

Head directly to the source and learn the current price and read detailed customer experiences about Kaytee Nyjer Seed Bird Food by clicking the link.

Amazon Best Rated Products - Last Updated on 2024-10-09. DISCLAIMER: Some or all of the product links on this page are affiliate links. The operator of this website received a small commission if you purchase products through these links, HOWEVER, there is no added cost to you. These commissions help to fund the operation of this BirdInformer.com

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