Bird Seed Storage Tips and Ideas

Proper bird seed storage is important and should be considered before bringing home that 50 pound bag of black oil sunflower seed.

Choosing the right storage container is almost as important as choosing the right bird seed.

Storing your bird seed properly will:

Keep your bird seed dry and fresh
Reduce insect problems
Reduce the possibility of attracting rodents

There are many storage containers on the market today designed specifically for bird seed storage. Some are designed to sit on your deck or patio, others are made to look like a rock and blend into your garden.

I take a less sophisticated approach to storing my bird seed. I use a plastic 20 gallon trash container.

I like using a plastic 20 gallon garbage can because:

It will easily hold more than a 50 pound bag of black oil sunflower seed
The lid fits tightly enough to keep the seed dry (I use a bungee cord to make sure the lid stays on)
It is easy to fill
It is easy to get the seed out
It doesn’t take up much room
The handles make it easy to carry
It is inexpensive

If you plan on storing your container outside, you may want to use a metal can. I have had aggressive squirrels chew through the plastic and devour all of the seed inside.

If you fill your feeders outside, don't worry too much about spilling a few seeds, the birds will clean them up. But if you bring the feeders into your shed, garage or onto your patio to fill them, make sure to clean up any dropped seeds. This will reduce the chances of attracting rodents.

You may experience a moth infestation in your container. I have used fly strips on the underside of the lid to reduce the problem. You can also try scattering bay leaves throughout your container. This may stop the moths from getting into your bird seed storage container.

Using the right bird seed storage method will make it easier for you to keep your bird feeders full. Keeping your bird feeders full of seed will keep your feeders full of wild birds.