Sizing Up Bird Feeders
By Dan Hickey
Bird watching is most joyful in winter, when my northern garden is in decline. I watch the chickadees and finches flit about the snow-capped feeders, their playful antics, crisp colors, and wistful songs reminding me of my garden's rebirth still months away.
Bird feeders also make superb holiday gifts. It's like giving someone unlimited front-row tickets to nature's matinee.
Now's an ideal time, as winter draws near, to set up your feeders so that birds will make your garden their home. These days, bird feeders come in a dazzling variety of shapes and sizes. Many designs are based upon careful research so attract birds with spectacular efficiency. More than ever, anyone can quickly learn the basics of bird feeding and choose a feeder that will lure a wide variety of birds throughout the winter months.
Choosing a Feeder
There are five types of bird feeders: hopper, platform, tube, nectar, and suet. Variations of each type number in the hundreds. Many species of birds will visit hopper and platform feeders filled with seed mixes. Tube feeders are designed for finches, but will attract other kinds of birds, especially if a bottom tray is attached. Woodpeckers are attracted to suet feeders.
Find out from your dealer which birds visit your region and then determine which of those birds you're interested in watching. Choose a feeder accordingly. Success is as simple as providing the food they prefer in the manner they like it.
Buying a Feeder
Before buying a feeder, decide how many feeding stations you want, and where you'll place them. A feeding station is a single feeder, or a group of feeders in one location. Be practical at first. Check out seed prices and decide if you have the time and energy to fill several feeders weekly.
Several of the feeders shown on the following pages are available exclusively at franchise stores, but you can find many of the same feeders or very similar models at garden centers or wherever bird-feeding supplies are sold. Generally, name brands don't always mean better quality. Some feeders cost hundreds of dollars, but you can get excellent feeders for less than $15.
When shopping for a feeder, consider the quality of its materials and construction, its ease of filling and cleaning, and how much seed it can handle. Try to imagine the feeder after a heavy rain or snow. Are the seeds soaked? Is the seed tray filled with water? The best feeders include covers and built-in drainage systems.
Look for feeders with guarantees against any kind of damage, including squirrel damage. Several companies are offering these incredible 2- or 3-year unlimited warranties.
Where to Place Feeders
The location of your feeding station is important in two respects: Birds need the cover of trees or shrubs nearby to feel safe and welcome, and the feeder should be close enough to your window or porch so that you can enjoy their theatrics.
Feeding Basics
For simplicity's sake I've created these categories of bird-feeding enthusiasts. Figure out where you are on this spectrum to help narrow down your choices among feeders. For a basic feeding station, start with a single platform, hopper, or large tube feeder. Each accommodates large and small birds and can be hung from a tree or hoisted on a pole. Fill any of these feeders with black oil sunflower seeds and you're certain to get visitors, usually within days. Remember to position the feeders where you can see them clearly.
Provide a birdbath filled with fresh water and make sure it doesn't freeze. Keep your feeders filled with dry seeds.
Squirrel-proof and Discriminating Feeders.
If you have too many squirrels, buy a feeder without a seed tray, or, best of all, install a squirrel baffle. There are several squirrel-proof and squirrel-resistant feeders on the market. They range from metal vaults with spring-loaded feeder doors to caged tube feeders, upside-down feeders, covered bowl feeders, and even battery-powered feeders that shock trespassing squirrels. Each has benefits and drawbacks. If unwanted squirrels visit your yard and you have the space or budget for only one feeding station, these feeders make sense.
If jays, grackles, and other large birds are crowding out smaller birds, switch to a feeder that discriminates, or blocks, them, but not the smaller, more desirable birds. Or locate an additional feeding station away from where larger birds feed. In my yard, jays and grosbeaks entertain me on one side of the house (large tube feeders with seed trays) and goldfinches, chickadees, and nuthatches feed in peace on the other (small tubes with no seed tray). Attracting exotic birds (southernmost U.S. only).
If you want to lure woodpeckers, hummingbirds, or orioles to your yard, invest in specialized feeders. Woodpeckers will visit suet feeders hung from trees. Hummingbirds and orioles are attracted to feeders filled with sweet nectar. Keep hummingbird feeders clean and hang them away from your seed feeders.
A Gallery of Nectar Feeders
Nectar feeders attract hummingbirds and orioles. For ease of use, choose feeders with top-mounted feeding ports. They won't spill as much as side-mounted stations, especially during windy days. Look for feeders with built-in ant traps -- a water-filled moat that prevents ants from raiding your feeder -- or purchase the trap separately. Oriole feeders (lower right) should have room for jelly and fruit, in addition to the nectar. * by ACB Nature Products Squirrel-Proof Feeders
Many bird hobbyists swear by these all-metal feeders, even though they're not the most attractive models and they don't include an extended seed tray. When a squirrel or large bird tries to rest on the adjustable spring-loaded perch, it collapses and closes the feeding tray. Adjust the tension in the springs and larger birds can visit, too. These feeders hold 2 gallons of seed; just look through the seed window to know when to refill. * by Heritage Farms
Upside-Down Feeders
The hanging suet feeder shown here requires birds to fight gravity for a meal. Hanging and eating at the same time is difficult for many birds, but not finches. If your feeders have been taken over by starlings, this may be your best choice. You can choose from several types of upside-down feeders -- tubes or cages. Perches on upside-down tube feeders are above the feeding ports, requiring similar acrobatics. * by Wild Birds Unlimited
Caged Feeders
Caged feeders are another type of discriminatory feeder. Squirrels and larger birds cannot penetrate the surrounding cage, while finches and chickadees feel right at home. Of course, your view is obstructed somewhat by the cage itself. Make sure the cage is metal and the seed tubes are easily refilled. The feeder shown here has three feeding tubes with a spring- locking top to make refilling easy. If large birds are crowding your feeder, this type of feeder is worth a try. * by Duncraft
Bowl or Domed Feeders
The large rounded cover on this feeder acts as a squirrel baffle and blocks larger birds from the seed bowl. Open the seed valves at the bottom of the bowl and clinging birds, such as nuthatches and finches, can feed at the lower ports under the bowl. You can also hang a suet feeder from the hook underneath. As the plastic wears, it may get cloudy and obstruct visibility. For best results, select a feeder with a large feeding bowl and an adjustable cover. * by Droll-Yankees
Platform Feeders
Platform feeders allow you to offer just about any combination of seeds, nuts, and fruit to attract a wide variety of birds (and other furry visitors). These traylike feeders also attract ground-feeding birds that wouldn't normally visit your higher-elevated feeders. A good platform feeder will have a large feeding area with at least a 1-inch rim to prevent spillage, a roof, and a screen bottom with holes that catch seeds but are wide enough for drainage. And like a decoy, a platform feeder will attract the squirrels and larger birds that might otherwise crowd your smaller feeders. * by Wild Bird Centers
Hopper Feeders
Filled with a mix of seed, these popular feeders attract a wide variety of birds. They can be hung or pole-mounted and are usually made of wood with a plexiglass hopper for seed. Models with suet cages also attract woodpeckers, but they may in turn scare smaller birds away. The best hopper feeders have an extended seed tray to minimize spillage, a roof that protects the seeds, and a hopper that holds at least a gallon of seed. * by Wild Birds Unlimited; Baffle by Wild Bird Centers
Suet Feeders
Woodpeckers are a welcome addition to any yard, but they generally don't visit seed feeders. The suet feeder shown here includes an extended paddle for extra support. Hang these feeders in trees, away from your other feeders. * by Wild Birds Unlimited
Tube Feeders
The tube feeders shown here are designed for smaller birds, such as finches and chickadees, but larger sizes for a wider variety of birds are available. These feeders work best with black oil sunflower seeds. Look for sturdy, clear plastic tubes with metal feeding ports, perches, and covers, as well as a removable bottom for easy cleaning. The niger or thistle seed feeder shown here is a specialized feeder for finches. Protective aluminum bands on the feeding ports prevent hungry squirrels from chewing through the plastic. Seed trays minimize waste and provide a perch for larger birds. * by Droll-Yankees (niger feeder) and Duncraft (tube feeder)
Mesh Feeders
Here's an interesting twist on the traditional hopper feeder. The tubular metal screen is filled with black oil sunflower seeds. The birds can take seed from any height on the mesh screen and the feeder holds up to 7 pounds of seed. * by Wild Bird Centers Window Feeders
If you want to get up close and personal with the birds, try a window-mounted feeder. Most attach with suction cups, but bowl sizes and basic design vary widely. Choose one with a cover and a good-sized seed bowl. Most important, look for a window-mounted feeder that gives you a clear view (make sure you're not looking through plastic) of the birds at the feeding tray. Use a good mix of seeds.
Provided by NGA
Reprinted with permission HouseNet, Inc.