USE OF SWITCHGRASS SEED AS WILD BIRD FEED

To date, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) seed is only used for planting new fields. However, the highly anticipated widespread planting of switchgrass as biomass for biofuel production prompted this investigation into whether switchgrass seed could be used as wild bird feed. We compared the consumption of switchgrass seed to proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) seed by birds from ground trays at 3 traditional bird feeding sites. We also removed the proso millet seed from the feeding sites after 21 days to determine if consumption of switchgrass seed would increase when offered independently. More (P ≤ 0.05) proso millet seed was consumed by birds at all sites when compared to switchgrass seed. When switchgrass seed was offered independently, consumption increased significantly at only 1 site. Reasons for poor use of the switchgrass seed could be low digestibility, its small size, or other reasons such as poor taste. Future studies should evaluate whether switchgrass seed would be preferred when offered in a mixture as this sometimes increases digestibility. Seeds of other or new cultivars of switchgrass also should be evaluated.