Thank you for your inquiry in to the history of The Songbird Company, LLC. We are located in the Waterloo Recreation Area which is near Grass Lake/Chelsea, Michigan. I (Jim Wait) started the company because I have always been disappointed with available wild bird seed blends.  Have you ever read the ingredients of wild bird seed blends and truly understood the contents?  I worked for a feed company for nine years in eastern Pennsylvania making feed and seed blends. I’ve conducted field studies in eastern Pennsylvania and southern Michigan. I know what the seed-eating birds like in these areas, and what is considered filler seed.  I am entertained by what seed blends people purchase based upon what is appeasing to people, but not necessarily to the birds. I can tell you that most of the wild bird seed mixes consist of primarily grain-by-products and filler seeds in order to keep their prices down. Many of the companies also color certain seeds in order to to make the seed look more attractive to people.

As president of the company, I am proud to share my story of how I came to develop premium wild bird seed blends.  My interest began through observations I made at my parents bird feeder during the 1960’s and 1970’s. While in high school during the 1970’s our biology class required a research project and report as a major component of our grade. During that time, I spent hours observing the birds at my parent’s feeder while providing various seeds and other treats to determine their preferences.   While the other students were plagiarizing their research out of the Encyclopedia, I was conducting actual research.  I was driven by true curiosity, not just the need to fulfill a class requirement. My report fascinated my teacher who was a wild bird enthusiast and she displayed my report in her showcase window for the rest of the year.

From the time I was junior in High School, through my college years, I worked for 9 years at a feed company mixing various feeds and seed blends.  During that time I learned about most aspects of feed/seed blend development and licensing. My pay check went towards supporting my livelihood and college education where I earned a BS in geology/environmental science.  I spent the last 20 years performing as an environmental consultant on the east coast and Midwest.

In recent years, I have been disappointed with the poor quality and large amount of fill seed (grain by products/waste) added to all the brands typically sold at most stores. I always told my wife that someday I will develop my own brand name of seed that will have a greater variety of seeds that birds love, while leaving out the fillers like grain by-products, wheat, milo (sorghum), flax, etc.  Well, that day is here.  I have constructed a building, bought a mixer, scale, bags, a sewing machine, procured a license and developed tags. Over the last couple of years I have been conducting a seed study to determine which seeds birds like. I've incorporated my findings into my seed blends.

Presently, I have developed three seed mixture varieties: Finches Favorite, Minimal Waste, and Deluxe Wild Bird Seed. These blends were not developed to be cost competitive with the commercial brands, but rather to meet the need for a premium wild bird seed blend that is more satisfying to most birds.  True wild bird enthusiasts know the differences between filler seed blends and premium seed blends, and notice a better consumption of seed, less wasted seed, and a variety of birds visiting their feeders.

The other focus of the Songbird Company is to provide seed stocking services for the elderly, retirement communities, businesses, folks on vacation, or those who don't have time to keep their feeders stocked. The idea for this service was developed at the request of an elderly neighbor who loved to feed and watch the birds, but he had limited mobility, especially in the wintertime.

The Songbird Company also provides Birdscaping/Wildscaping services (a type of focused landscaping) so that your backyard is more attractive and comfortable for native birds.

We are always looking for creative marketing ideas or retail outlets.  If you have any questions or comments about The Songbird Company or our services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your interest in The Songbird Company, LLC.

Jim Wait – President,

The Songbird Company, LLC.

6560 Baldwin Rd., P.O. Box 215, Grass Lake, Michigan 49240

jfwait@thesongbirdcompany.com

888/522-5025

517/748-0074 - Mobile

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