Birds locate seed partly by sight, which is why Johnston & Jeff add a little vegetable oil to give these seeds extra shine — a detail that sounds cosmetic but is actually about how easily a bird can spot the seed in the first place.

This is black oil sunflower seed, sourced generally from Europe and the UK, selected and harvested to maximise oil content. Johnston & Jeff screen and grade every batch, and note that black oil sunflower must not be harvested late, which raises acid content, and must be fully matured, or the husks end up empty.

• 12.75KG bag
• Typical protein 22%
• Calorific value 560 kcals per 100g
• Screened and graded, with a light coating of vegetable oil added for visibility
• Suitable for blue tits, bramblings, chaffinches, dunnocks, goldfinches, great tits, sparrows, nuthatches, siskins and yellowhammers

On the format. This is a straight seed, not a mixed blend, so it suits feeders and gardens that already attract the species listed above rather than being a general all-rounder mix for every visitor.

Who it's for: anyone feeding a garden that regularly sees tits, finches, sparrows and similar species, who wants a large bag of a single high-oil seed rather than a mixed blend.