Sunflower seeds are like the healthy equivalent of fast food. Quick, delicious, and easy to eat, birds devour these seeds in no time at all. Being able to enjoy sunflower seeds this way means that they will require very little energy to eat, all the while holding back a high percentage of the energy, which they will obtain from these seeds.
The energy benefits are really great; so great that birds known for having insects as their regular diet have replaced them with sunflower seeds. They have the highest calorie-to-weight ratio compared to any other bird feed, as well as a superior level of protein.
While the seeds’ protein content is reasonably high, one must be aware that plant proteins are not ‘complete’ proteins. This means that they do not consist of the full complement of amino acids required to make up complete proteins. So, while feeding sunflower seeds, one must keep in mind that these seeds might not provide birds with the full benefits of proteins.