Definition

Noun: - Food given to birds; usually mixed seeds: A commercially prepared or homemade mixture of seeds, grains, and sometimes other nutritional elements, intended to be fed to wild or domesticated birds.

Usage

This noun is typically used as a non-countable (mass) noun to refer to the general substance fed to birds. It is commonly found in contexts related to gardening, birdwatching, and pet care. - You buy bird food to attract wild birds to your garden. - The bird food in this bag contains sunflower seeds and millet.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "Specialty bird food": Refers to mixtures formulated for specific species, such as hummingbird nectar or suet cakes for woodpeckers.
  • The store sells specialty bird food for orioles, which includes fruit and jelly.

Variants and Related Words

• Birdseed (n): A very common synonym, specifically denoting a mix of seeds for birds. It is often used interchangeably with "bird food," though "bird food" can be a broader category.
  • A bag of birdseed is a common type of bird food.
• Wild bird feed (n): A more descriptive term often used in product labeling.
• Suet (n): A specific type of bird food made from animal fat, often mixed with seeds or grains.

Synonyms

• Birdseed
• Wild bird food
• Avian feed (more technical)

Related Phrases

• Put out bird food: To place food outside for birds.
  • We put out bird food every winter to help the local birds.
• Bird food mix: Specifies the blended nature of the food.
  • This bird food mix is very popular with cardinals and chickadees.

Noun

1. food given to birds; usually mixed seeds