Also known as Niga, Inga and Nigra - the word simply means 'black'. Niger is the seed of a plant which is closely related to the Sunflower. It is largely grown in Northern India for the copious amounts of oil which the crushed seed yields - which is used as lamp oil. The seed is about 4mm in length and should only be bought if it is shiny black and smells clean and wholesome; the seed is long, brittle and easily broken. Only the current season's crop should be bought and stored seed should always be used or disposed of within a season. It contains almost 40% oil by weight - of which the cold-pressed oil is used for human food and the residue, extracted by hot steam is used for soap and lamp oil. The great 19th C canary expert C.A. House wrote: "It is a grand seed and I have used immense quantities of it during the cold winter and spring months. Some fanciers only use it during the breeding season; I use it all year round. Birds will leave any other seed for Niger, they will even abandon Hemp. Although it is rich in oil I have never known any ill effects from its use, and for keeping birds in good health and full song there is no seed to equal it.".
6. Maw Seed - Papaver somniferum
Maw seed is the seed of the Opium Poppy. The word 'maw' is simply the old
English for 'mouth' and is related also to 'crop' or 'craw'. There is no
such plant as 'maw' - the term merely points to the use of the seed as
bird food. The Opium Poppy is the source of opium, morphine and heroin
but the seeds contain such a minute amount (if any) of the drug as to be
harmless. Richard Morse wrote: " Maw is one of the most valuable
seeds for the bird keeper. It is practically the first seed the young bird
eats on weaning and in the final stages of senility, the old bird seems
to relish a little maw seed more than anything else" C.A. House wrote:"
It is very nourishing and comforting, being rich in oil. Its medicinal
properties are very great and it will often cure diarrhoea without the
aid of any other drug."
Maw seed is a pale blue in colour and should smell fresh and sweet.
It is very rich in oil so buy only new-crop seed and use or dispose of
it all within a season.
7. LINSEED - FLAX - Linum usitatissimum
Linseed is the seed of the common Flax plant which has been grown since Biblical times as a source of fibre for the production of fine linen. The mature plant is traditionally steeped in water (retting) until it decays and the strong fibres can be separated from the stem. They are then bleached, spun and woven into linen.
The seed is fed to race horses to improve the appearance of their coat, to which linseed produces a beautiful gloss. It is also said that it creates 'staying power' to horses.
Canaries will generally only take a small amount of Linseed and seem to ration their intake; this is probably because it is a very rich and oily seed. it is very rich in protein and, according to Richard Morse, contains over 100 grains of protein to the ounce, whereas a hens egg contains only 60 grains of protein to the ounce. It is included in general seed mixes as a minor component.
C.A. House wrote in his Canary Manual: "It is a grand demulcent, softening and mollifying any inward irritation of the intestines; further it is a splendid seed for keeping birds in the peak of condition, producing as it does the wonderful lustre and beautiful brightness of plumage that is so much sought on the show bench".
8. Groats
Groats are simply whole-oats without the husk. The whole grains get
rolled and flattened into oatmeal - or flaked oats, which are used to make
porridge. Whole groats are generally included as a small component of
'canary mix'; some canaries eat them before they touch any other seed;
some canaries never ever eat them. They are quite a substantial seed with
a fair amount of protein - often served to hens in winter and early spring
as a soaked seed. Soaking them is a good idea because oats in general can
absorb a very large amount of water. When birds are offered soaked groats
they generally take more.
