Why do my birds empty the birder feeder without eating it?

Question

This seems to happen every summer. It is not the squirrels. I have a few feeders. One is wild bird seed, mainly sparrows eat from that one. They seem to empty it. I do not see just one thing on the ground, it seems to be all components of the seeds. It is all on the ground under the bird feeder. Then they eat it from the ground and so do other types of birds. What gives? Any ideas? THANX!

Answer 1

Birds instinctivly spread their food all over.  I don't know why.  Looking for the good bits, maybe.

They aren't neat freaks by any stretch of the imagination.

They eat on the ground because they evolved that way.  Birdfeeders are a relatively new invention after all.

Answer 2

They're looking for the seeds that they want.

PS - They love sunflower seeds.  We fill ours with them, and the birds practically inhale them!