Sunflower hearts solve the mess problem sunflower seeds create — no husk means nothing left scattered under the feeder for a bird to reject, and no shells for you to sweep up once the feeder empties.

Johnston & Jeff make these from black oil sunflower seeds, which they describe as carrying higher oil and energy levels than the confectionery-grade hearts taken from medium and large striped sunflowers. The kernels are then passed through a sortex machine that uses lasers to detect and remove any remaining black husk, producing a uniform, husk-free sample rather than one with the odd fragment left in.

• Dehusked, husk-free sunflower hearts
• Made from black oil sunflower seeds for higher oil and energy content
• Protein 24.0%
• Calorific value 640 kcal per 100g
• Suitable for virtually all garden birds
• 2kg, 4kg, 12.75kg or 20kg sack

One thing worth knowing. Johnston & Jeff note that pipits and wrens may be the only garden birds unlikely to take these, and even they might if mealworms or insects aren't available — so this is about as close to a universal seed as you'll find, rather than one aimed at a specific species.

Who it's for: anyone feeding a wide range of garden birds who wants a genuinely no-mess seed with no husk left behind, rather than managing sunflower seed shells under the feeder.