Sunflowers - Harvesting The Seeds?

[Nucleus]

Morning folks. Something else I've never done before so can you tell me the procedure plz? TIA.

I grew a couple of whopping big sunflowers, they're now finished and wilting away. I'd like to save the seeds for the birds, I'm told they like them. Couple of images below showing the stage the heads are at now.

When do they turn to seed, when/how should I cut them down, do you cut the head off and save it to dry off or such like, if so how do you store the head while it turns to seed - just in a dry place?

[steve]

If you just rub your hand all over the face of it you will find the dead flowers dropping off and what's left underneath is the actual seeds all stacked end on, don't leave it too long though or the birds/wildlife will be helping themselves, to be honest the number of seeds you get out of a sunflower head you can well afford to let the wildlife have their share too

[Nucleus]

Thank you Steve, that's appreciated. I'll chop them down tomorrow and do as you say with the heads. Cheers.

[Nucleus]

Job done. As advised, I just gently rubbed the top flowers away, then the seeds seemed to come away with not much difficulty at all. As mentioned I only want them for the birds. Got a 1kg butter tub full.

TY again Steve, appreciated.