Feeding birds is one of the most gratifying activities you can do in your yard. If you are already doing so or might be enticed to start, I have an idea for you beyond the traditional sunflower seeds, suet and seed mixes to attract different birds. The tip: peanuts. If you have not fed nuts to the birds you are missing out on a something great.

Peanuts show up in mixes, suet, or just by themselves. Nut eating birds include the Chickadee, Chipping Sparrow, Woodpecker, Gray Catbird, House Finch, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Nuthatch, Common Grackle, and European Starling. Crows and Blue Jays especially like peanuts in the shell. They like taking the whole nut to store for later when they need food.

You'll get the best peanuts (cracked, broken, or whole, in or out of the shell) from a birdfeed store. The cost is affordable, and the best part of feeding peanuts is there is little or no mess by the birds. Peanuts for birds are feed-grade, having been rejected for human consumption, and they need to be fresh.

This suggestion to expand the banquet you offer birds will also appeal to squirrels and other varmints so you may want to add baffles to your bird feeders. Squirrel-proof feeders are readily available too. There are wonderful peanuts feeders that are easy to clean and easy to fill. I have had my peanut feeders hanging over a wood deck and over flower beds. There is no mess under either feeder. Yeah! I particularly delight in watching woodpeckers at a peanut feeder outside my bedroom window.

Another option is to use a mesh or metal feeder with holes that the birds will cling to peck at the peanuts. This seems to keep birds in view longer as they devour the nutty morsels. There are also peanut feeders designed with larger holes or wiring resembling a slinky. These are made especially for whole peanuts in the shell. Feeding whole peanuts does leave discarded shells, but the critters that take to peanuts are interesting.

Nuts, a healthy source of fat to maintain skin and feathers, are a high-calorie food providing birds plenty of energy for an entire day. Nuts are especially popular as a winter bird food because they are long-lasting. You can feed other kinds of nuts but be sure they are not salted. Human-grade nuts are too expensive to feed birds very often. You can also smear peanut butter on a tree trunk or add dabs to a platform or tray feeder. Whether nuts are whole or in pieces, in or out of shells, birds will appreciate. You may even see some new birds!