Type of Millet Birdseed

White Millet

• These hard, white seeds are a good size for small birds. White millet is typically used for feeding wild birds but can also be used for domestic small fowl. Wild birds tend to view millet almost as candy, a tasty little treat, and will pursue it over many other types of foods. Millet seed is less fattening than other seeds and more nutritious, being high in complex carbohydrates, proteins, B vitamins, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.

Red Millet

• This seed is used for caged birds such as parrots, parakeets, cockatiels and goldfinches as it offers a large portion of the daily nutrients they require. Red millet contains all the nutritional values of white millet but is more inexpensive. This type of millet is a darker color than the white but is loved by many birds.

Fresh Millet

• Millet tends to lose its nutritional value as it ages and the flavor along with it. To please your bird's palate and keep it healthy, use only millet seed that has not turned brown and dry. Fresh millet should be green and moist. It takes a long time for millet to go bad, so storage is easily accomplished.

Varieties

• Millet takes on many forms, among them, foxtail, pearl, proso and finger millet. The names are derived from the shapes of the seed pods, which are generally long, slender stems with clusters of seeds along them. Millet is a common delicacy for human consumption in many nations of the world with the exception of Western countries.