Kalmbach Feeds Everyday Essentials Wild Bird Food, Green, 20-lb bag

The seeds are covered with fine white dust. I don't know what this is but I suspect it shouldn't be there. I'm not sure if this is why the pigeons won't go near this stuff but they don't. I just hope the dust isn't poisoning the birds that do eat this? I ordered this because it is cheap, and I see why. I wonder if this is the stuff that gets swept off the factory floor? That's the bad news. The flip side is that I feed the birds so my cats have something to look at all day. The last bird food I ordered, quality food, not like this, the birds swarmed over and scarfed up in about 2-3 hours. This stuff is usually, not always, fully consumed by doves and sparrows and squirrels, but it takes them all day. So my cats have entertainment all day. Good for the cats. Maybe not so great for the birds.

This isn't the best bird seed I've used. The main issue is that it contains a large amount of seeds that do not appeal the birds in my area (Seattle area). About half of it ends up on the ground, where it remains uneaten or attracts mice/rats/raccoons. This creates extra work, as I have to sweep it up and dispose of it. Better quality seeds contain more peanuts and sunflower seeds and is shell-free and thus mess-free. I wouldn't buy this again. Might be good for our chickens.

This seed mix is a great budget option, especially if you attract smaller birds. A lot of other seed mixes have large sunflower seeds, peanuts, etc and the little birds just pull them out and throw them on the ground. This blend has milo, wheat, millet, small sunflower seeds, and small pieces of cracked corn. When I was filling the feeder with this seed I could hear all the birds start singing to tell everyone it's time to eat! I also appreciated that the bag was very sturdy, regular paper bags can rip and plastic easily gets holes.

I’ve tried a lot of wild bird seed mixes over the years, and Kalmbach Everyday Essentials has become one of my go-to blends. The birds took to it almost immediately. Cardinals, chickadees, finches, doves, and even woodpeckers stop by regularly now. What I appreciate most is the quality for the price. The mix looks clean, fresh, and consistent. There’s noticeably less waste under the feeder compared to some other value blends I’ve purchased. It’s a great everyday feeding option if you want to keep birds coming year-round without breaking the budget. I also like that it works well in multiple feeder types, so I can use it throughout my backyard setup. Highly recommend for anyone wanting dependable bird activity and solid value.