Johnston & Jeff Safflower Seed is a great alternative to sunflower seed if you want to keep your birds off of it. Safflower has a thick shell, hard for some smaller birds to crack open, but is a favourite amongst cardinals. Some grosbeaks, chickadees, doves, and native sparrows also eat it. According to some sources, House Sparrows, European Starlings, and squirrels don’t like safflower, but in some areas seem to have developed a taste for it.