The pricing on wild bird food commodities has unfortunately been, well, "wild" the past couple years. We at Lyric see the rising costs first-hand and realize some of you may have cut back your feeding purchases or activities. It's a shame to reduce participation in a hobby that helps nature and provides hours of entertainment. Here's 10 money-saving tips on getting the most from your bird food purchases.

1. Feed the birds you want to see. Are you frustrated seeing your premium-quality bird food eaten by critters, crows or grackles? Try feeders with smaller ports and perches. Large nuisance birds like crows will find it difficult to perch on these feeders. Feeders with caged or dome/baffle guards will also prevent nuisance birds and critters from getting access to feeding tubes or trays.
2. Try to minimize seed falling to the ground. Use feeders with bottom trays or platform feeders.
3. Keep squirrels at bay. Use squirrel-resistant feeders. These come with a variety of mechanisms and features like weight-activated collapsible perches, sliding cages or port shields. Use baffles – these are dome-like or canister-shaped accessories. They cause squirrels to slide away from feeding areas and can protect food from weather. Hang feeders on poles or shepherd’s hooks, away from trees. Keep the bottom of the feeder at least four feet above the ground.
4. Keep feeders clean and dry. Dirty feeders can spread germs. Wet food can spoil quickly. Watch weather reports to not fill exposed feeding areas on rainy days. Try to fill feeders with smaller amounts more frequently. Fill daily or a few times a week so feeders are not overfilled and less food is exposed to wet weather.
5. If you’re choosing to feed wildlife and ground-feeding birds, use a lower-cost mix like Lyric Wildlife Food. Place it in a tray feeder or on the ground away from your primary feeders. This will help keep the unwanted visitors from eating your premium mixes.
6. Buy larger bags of premium mixes to realize price per pound savings.  A 20 lb. bag’s price per pound is often at least 10–15% less than a 5 lb. bag of the same mix.
7. Use no waste mixes. Lyric Delite No Waste Mix, Lyric Woodpecker No Waste Wild Bird Mix and Lyric Fine Tunes No Waste Mix provide 100% edible food with no shells.
8. Store wild bird food in a cool, dry, sealed container. Air-tight storage containers help keep seed fresher. If you’re keeping it in the bag, use a bag clip to keep the bag sealed.
9. Don’t overstock. Buy bird food more often as opposed to stocking up for months. Try to purchase no more than one month’s or few weeks supply at a time.
10. Use a funnel scoop for filling feeders. Many scoop openings are much larger than feeder openings. Funnel scoops make filling easier and you will spill less.