You can buy sunflower hearts for wild birds at specialty bird stores that sell seed by the bag. Urban Nature Store sells sunflower hearts at its ten Ontario stores in 6, 25 and 50 lb bags for store pickup, and in a 4 lb bag for home delivery anywhere in Canada.
What Are Sunflower Hearts?
Sunflower hearts are sunflower seeds with the shell already removed, sometimes called hulled sunflower seed. Because the hull is gone, birds eat the whole seed without cracking anything open, and no husks land under the feeder.
The product page for Urban Nature Store's Sunflower Hearts describes them as a no-mess, no-waste seed: there are no shells on the ground, and all of the seed can be eaten.
Which Birds Eat Sunflower Hearts?
Sunflower hearts draw a wide range of feeder birds. The Sunflower Hearts product page says they are especially popular with cardinals, chickadees and finches, and Urban Nature Store's winter feeding guide adds nuthatches, grosbeaks, woodpeckers and blue jays.
The sunflower hearts product page also repeats a common saying among birders: if you can offer only one kind of seed, it should be sunflower hearts.
Which Feeders Work With Sunflower Hearts?
Sunflower hearts work in tube, hopper and platform feeders, according to Urban Nature Store's winter feeding guide, which names tube feeders as ideal because they keep the seed clean and out of the snow. Tube styles are in the tube feeders collection.
Hearts also suit squirrel-proof feeders. The product page for the Squirrel Buster Evolution recommends no-mess blends or hulled sunflower seeds for the best performance and a cleaner feeder.
Why Choose Sunflower Hearts Over Seed in the Shell?
Sunflower hearts cost more per bag than black oil sunflower, but none of the weight is shell. Urban Nature Store's product page cites estimates that 75 lb of black oil sunflower seed equals the feeding value of 25 lb of sunflower hearts.
Feeding hearts on their own, rather than in a mix, also cuts waste in a second way. The product page notes that birds are less likely to toss seed to the ground when the feeder holds only hearts, compared with mixes that include a lot of corn and other fillers.
What Bag Sizes of Sunflower Hearts Can You Buy?
Urban Nature Store sells sunflower hearts in four bag sizes, and the size decides how you get it:
|
Bag size |
How to get it |
Price |
|---|---|---|
|
4 lb |
Home delivery only |
$15.95 |
|
6 lb |
Store pickup only |
$15.95 |
|
25 lb |
Store pickup only |
$59.95 |
|
50 lb |
Store pickup only |
$112.95 |
Bag sizes and prices from Urban Nature Store's product page, November 2026.
The larger bags cost less per pound: the 50 lb bag works out to about $2.26 a pound and the 25 lb bag to about $2.40, against about $2.66 for the 6 lb bag.
Where Can You Buy Sunflower Hearts in Store?
Every established Urban Nature Store location carries sunflower hearts. On November 4, 2026, nine of the ten stores showed more than 100 bags in stock, and only the new Thornhill store showed none. The product page notes that pickup is still available at a store with zero stock when the warehouse has the seed, and the order is ready once the store receives it.
Addresses and hours for all ten stores are on the store locations page. If you live outside Ontario, the 4 lb bag ships anywhere in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are fine sunflower hearts?
Fine sunflower hearts are finely chopped sunflower hearts made for finch feeders. Urban Nature Store sells Fine Sunflower Hearts separately and points buyers to regular sunflower hearts for other feeders.
Are sunflower hearts good for winter feeding?
Yes. Urban Nature Store's winter feeding guide calls sunflower hearts a winter birding essential, because their fat and protein help birds keep up their energy and body heat through the coldest months.
What should you pair with sunflower hearts?
Suet cakes or berries. Urban Nature Store's winter feeding guide suggests pairing sunflower hearts with suet cakes or berries to draw a wider variety of birds.
