Yes, Many Birds Eat Grass Seed
Birds do eat grass seed, particularly when it is spread on the surface of bare soil where it is easy to see. Seed eaters do not usually distinguish between wild seeds and the seed you have just sown. A freshly overseeded lawn can look like a free buffet.
Which Birds Go After Lawn Seed?
The birds most often blamed are ground-feeding seed eaters, many of which are common in neighborhoods.
- Sparrows and finches
- Doves and pigeons
- Starlings, grackles, and other blackbirds
- Quail, in areas where they live
- Geese, which tend to graze on young grass more than the seed
Robins are often seen on new lawns too, but they are usually hunting earthworms and insects, not seed. So do not assume every bird on the lawn is eating your seed. For more on the birds in this group, see our overview of seed-eating birds.
How Much Seed Do Birds Actually Take?
Usually only part of it. Many lawns come in fine despite some loss, particularly if you apply seed at the recommended rate and keep it watered. Loss tends to be worse on small bare patches, on seed that is left on top of hard soil, and in areas with large flocks of ground-feeding birds nearby. If you see thin spots later, a light reseeding can fill them in.
How to Protect Newly Planted Grass Seed
No method is perfect, and a combination often works best.
- Make good seed-to-soil contact. Rake the seed lightly into the top of the soil so it is not sitting in the open.
- Cover with a thin mulch layer. Straw, peat moss, or a light dusting of compost or topsoil hides seed and helps hold moisture. Use a thin layer, since too much can smother seedlings. Choose weed-free straw.
- Use netting or garden fleece. A light cover over the seedbed works for small areas until the grass sprouts.
- Try visual deterrents. Reflective tape, old CDs, or pinwheels may keep birds away for a while, but birds often get used to them, so move them around.
- Water consistently. Seed that sprouts sooner is less appealing and less exposed.
- Seed in manageable sections. Smaller areas are easier to protect and monitor.
Avoid poisons or sticky or harmful deterrents. These can hurt birds and other wildlife, and are not needed for a lawn project.
What About Coffee Grounds Near a Feeder?
Some people suggest sprinkling coffee grounds around a feeder or lawn as a deterrent. There is no solid evidence that this reliably keeps birds away, so treat it as an unproven home remedy. Caffeine can also be harmful to birds in larger amounts, so it is better not to put coffee grounds in feeders or where birds will eat them.
When Is the Best Time to Plant Grass Seed?
The best time depends on grass type and climate. As a general rule, cool-season grasses are often seeded in late summer to early fall, and warm-season grasses in late spring to early summer, but check your local extension service for your area. Timing seed so that it sprouts quickly, when soil is warm enough and moisture is reliable, reduces the time it is exposed to birds.
What Grass Seed Do Birds Avoid?
There is no grass seed that is reliably ignored by birds. Some seed is sold with a coating, but that is meant to help with moisture or growth, not to repel birds. Read the label. If you want to cut down on birds hanging around, you can offer a feeder with seed in another part of the yard so that they have an alternative, though that may also attract more birds overall. You could also choose to enjoy the birds. Many are only passing through for a short time.