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16,000 lbs. of Bird Seed flies out of our stores EVERY WEEK.

We have the largest selection (over 150) of Bird Feeders, Houses and accessories in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.

Ritchie's continues the tradition of Quality and Excellence by stocking Innovative Feeders from Premier Manufacturers such as Stokes, Droll Yankees , Songbird Essentials, Squirrel Buster and Chapelwood with New designs arriving every week.

NOTE: We can order you anything from Stokes, Droll Yankees, Songbird Essentials, Squirrel Buster and Chapelwood (if we don't already stock it...which is rare) and have it in store in about 2 weeks.

Top Bird Seeds

 

Black Oil Sunflower Seed

Black Oil Sunflower seed is the all-round favorite for bird feeders, particularly attractive to tree-dwelling birds. It has a high meat-to-shell ratio and is high in fat. Its size and thin shell make it easy for small birds, such as the Black-Capped Chickadee to handle and crack with relative ease.

 

Nyjer Seed

Nyjer is a favorite of Goldfinches as well as Purple & House Finches, Pine Siskins, and Redpolls. Ground-feeding species such as Doves, Juncos, and Sparrows also find Nyjer attractive.  Nyjer should be offered in a specially designed feeder with tiny ports that prevent spillage even though whatever spills onto the ground will be readily eaten by other species.

 

Peanuts Out of the Shell

Even though Peanuts are more thought of as a snack for us humans, they are readily sought after by many of our backyard visitors.  Downey and Hairy Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Chickadees, and Nuthatches will be faithful when provided a steady source of this high protein delight.

 

Ritchie Deluxe

Hands down the most popular birdseed mix we sell.  This all season mix was formulated to address the needs of all the birds that frequent our East Region.  Loaded with both types of Sunflower Seeds, Peanuts, Safflower, Millet and other seeds, this favorite has turned into a no waste mix because quite frankly “It all gets eaten.

 

Deluxe Mixed Finch

A rich variety of Nyjer, Millets, Flax, Canary and Canola Seeds has our smaller community of birds constantly fighting for a perch.  As we all know they don’t share very well, hence the ground under the feeder seems to be in constant motion with every last seed being snapped up.

 

Jay and Cardinal Mix

So we gave them what they like and now a monster has been created. Loads of Black Oil, Striped, Safflower and Peanuts out of the Shell.  GREAT!  Now everyone wants in on the action.

Currently Flying of the shelves...

If it's Hummingbird feeders you're interested in, you can choose from more than 40 different styles.

 

Choosing a Hummingbird Feeder

By Don & Lillian Stokes

Here are some tips to consider when selecting a hummingbird feeder:

1. One of the most important considerations in choosing a hummingbird feeder is: is it easy to clean? Hummingbird feeders need to be cleaned and refilled with fresh nectar every 5 to 7 days. That is because the nectar, which is composed of sugar and water, can mold or spoil easily in heat. Frequent cleaning is essential to the health of your hummingbirds.

2. Examine the hummingbird feeder you are considering buying and take it apart. Unscrew the bottle from the base and take apart the base. If you are considering a highly decorative feeder, make sure it meets the easy-to-clean criteria.

3. The base should come apart easily. Can you easily access all areas of the base for complete cleaning? There should be no crevices you cannot reach. That is where mold could hide.

4. Examine the bottle reservoir. Does it have a wide enough mouth so you can easily pour the hummingbird nectar into the bottle without spilling it all over? A bottle with a wider mouth makes it easier to reach inside and thoroughly clean all the internal surfaces of the bottle.

5. Choose a hummingbird feeder with red on it if you are new to attracting hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are especially attracted to the color red. This is because many native hummingbird flowers have special adaptations for hummingbirds. They are red (a color seen more easily by hummingbirds than bees) and have long tubes (too long for bees mouthparts to reach the nectar at the end of the tubes) thus reserve their nectar to hummingbirds, not bees. In turn hummingbirds pollinate these flowers by carrying pollen on their foreheads from one flower to another.

6. Some hummingbird feeders have a bonus feature —a built in ant cup that prevents ants from reaching the nectar. The ant cup is a moat of water on the top of the feeder, with the hanger attached in the middle of the cup. You fill the ant cup with water. Ants are reluctant to swim across water, thus they cannot get across the moat to reach the nectar.

7. There are hummingbird feeders that have perches, some don't, and either type of feeder is OK. Perches provide a place for hummingbirds to rest, but hummingbirds do not need perches to feed. In the wild hummingbirds hover at flowers. Removable perches are a nice option, as there is some thought that in very cold weather it is better for hummingbirds to hover and warm up before they feed on cold nectar.

8. When cleaning hummingbird feeders, use a little vinegar and hot water. Use a bottle brush for the upper bottle reservoir if necessary, and smaller brushes for other surfaces if needed. Thoroughly rinse all parts of the hummingbird feeder before filling it with fresh nectar.

9. To attract the most hummingbirds, choose several hummingbird feeders and space them widely apart in your yard. This will cut down on competition of one hummingbird trying to monopolize the feeders.

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