
Pavilion Feeder |
So
you’ve heard about
feeding backyard
birds and want to
try it out? Perhaps
you’ve seen an
enticing arrangement
of feeders at a
neighbor’s house or
perhaps you have
visions of
attracting many
fine, feathered
friends to your own
yard. Either way,
feeding wild birds
can be a real treat
if approached
thoughtfully—it can
even become an
addicting and
enjoyable hobby.
Here are some tips
for getting started
with your first
adventure in feeding
birds. For
additional
information check
out
Stokes Birdfeeder
Book: The Complete
Guide to Attracting,
Identifying, and
Understanding Your
Feeder Birds by
Donald and Lillian
Stokes. |
No matter
where you live,
there are a
surprising variety
of hungry birds
looking for extra
snacks to help them
through cold winter
nights or through
the exhausting
tribulations of
raising broods of
noisy chicks.
Birds are willing and eager visitors to nearly any feeder that
offers high quality food. This is especially true in neighborhoods
where human alterations to the landscape have eliminated or reduced
native food sources and birds end up hunting for every morsel they
can find.
While there are noble and generous aspects to offering seeds to
wild birds, it’s also worth taking a moment to ask if it is the
right choice for you. Does your neighborhood have patches of wild
plants that offer native food options for birds? Can you already
watch birds go about their activities from your house or would you
like to draw them closer for easier viewing? Are you prepared to
clean and maintain feeders on a regular basis? Do you have options
for planting and landscaping your yard with native food plants as an
alternative (or addition) to offering bird feeders? Are you able to
deal with a hoard of bird's feeding in the Spring reduced to a
paucity in the summer, as they migrate to other areas? Can you deal
with a potential mess of bird droppings on the patio furniture, or
the invasion of a new species of grass as certain seeds germinate
under the feeder? Or how about the neighbor's cat stalking your
feeder, are you comfortable with asking them to put a collars on the
cat that makes enough noise to warn the birds of an impending
attack?
Preliminary Considerations
Most people begin bird feeding because they want to bring birds
into the yard where it’s easier to view their activities. For this
purpose, there are an overwhelming variety of options that allow you
to hang, post, or nail any of countless different types of feeders
to virtually any surface you choose.
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Before you visit a bird feeding store, therefore, it’s helpful to
think carefully about which windows or vantage points you’re most
likely to watch birds from and how you’d like to see feeders
positioned in your yard. These are aesthetic choices that may be
modified as you learn more about feeder options, but it doesn’t hurt
to figure out your preferences as a starting point.
Some things to keep in mind are that feeders can be a little
messy from discarded seeds and shells falling to the ground. For
cleaning and general maintenance purposes, feeders should be easily
reached, and it’s usually not a good idea to place them in the
middle of an elegantly landscaped flowerbed. Feeders also need to be
near a tree or shrub so that feeding birds can readily dart away
from predators, but not so close that cats can hide and pounce on
unsuspecting birds.
Consider next whether you’d like to see a feeder hanging gently
from a branch, swaying from a hook on a wall or tree trunk, or
standing on its own post in the middle of the yard. Remember that it
has to be easily reached.
Once you have some ideal locations in mind you might consider the
types of birds that you’d like to attract. Hanging or elevated
feeders appeal to tree-dwelling birds, such as nuthatches,
chickadees, and titmice; while towhees, quail, and some sparrows are
uncomfortable at anything but ground level or low feeders. For some
yards, a perfect solution might be one of the new waist-high feeders
that draw in both groups of birds.
Most feeders, and types
of food, are designed for
all-around use but a couple
choices are more
specialized. These include
hummingbird nectar feeders,
suet cakes that attract
woodpeckers and
insect-eating birds in
addition to many other
birds, and thistle feeders
that specifically attract
beautiful goldfinches and
pine siskins. It’s often
easiest to start with one of
the general purpose feeders
described below, then branch
out into other types of
feeding as your interest and
enthusiasm grows.
Getting Started
Thinking through some of
these preliminary
considerations will make
your first visit to a bird
feeder store much more
enjoyable because the number
of options in a typical
store is nothing short of
daunting. Even after working
in a bird feeder store
several years myself, I’m
still overwhelmed by the
range of options.
To keep it simple,
realize there are three main
categories of feeders:
hoppers, tubes, and trays.
Despite the dazzling
variety, the core choices
are really that simple.
And
“keep it simple” is really a
great mantra for first-time
buyers. Don’t be waylaid by
fancy, gimmicky products but
look instead for simple,
sturdy design and easily
understood parts. On wood
products look for cedar
components and pieces held
together with screws. On
plastic products look for
rugged materials that look
like they’ll last for many
years in the sun and rain.
And unless you want to
contribute to a landfill
within the year, expect to
pay twenty-five dollars and
up for a feeder that will
last seven to ten years.
Anything cheaper than that
are what the industry
politely calls “promotional
products” and are designed
to break down quickly in
order to get you back in the
store.
Hearty Hoppers

Green Absolute II
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Hoppers
are one of the classic
feeder designs, like
something you’d see in an
old Boy Scout handbook as a
merit badge building
project. Looking like little
rustic houses that hold
food, they have a
traditional appeal that
crosses generations. Most
are constructed of wood with
glass or plastic sides so
that seed levels can be
monitored. Newer models have
screen bottoms that prevent
seeds from becoming
waterlogged and spoiling.
Well made hoppers come apart
easily for ease of cleaning.
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Typically, hoppers are hung
from branches, but they can
also be suspended from a
free standing “shepherd’s
hook” stuck in the ground
wherever you’d like.
Occasionally, hoppers are
modified to be mounted on
top of a pole but these can
be difficult to take down
for cleaning.
Hoppers are
fun, easy to fill (usually
the roof lifts for filling),
and they allow several birds
to line up and feed at once.
Disadvantages to consider
are that birds will be
tossing quite a bit of seed
and shell to the ground
under a hopper, and that
hoppers may not be the
easiest feeder to clean.
Towering Tubes

Opus Triple Tube |
While the
idea of a plastic tube
hanging in your yard is not
particularly appealing
(especially if you’re
envisioning a rustic wood
feeder), tubes are a great
option for many people. They
have a modern, clean look
and new top of the line
models are amazingly
durable. They are easy to
clean, easy to fill, and
it’s straightforward to tell
when it’s time to refill
them. Even better, most
models have optional trays
that catch many of the
discarded seeds and shells
that would otherwise litter
your yard. If tube feeders
have any drawback, it’s that
they accommodate only as
many birds as there are
feeding holes.
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Tubes are
usually hung from a nail,
branch, or some kind of
hook, but some can be
converted to a pole mount
and placed anywhere in the
yard. Tubes (as well as
hoppers) are best placed at
least head high, making them
ideal feeders for attracting
tree-dwelling birds.
The
highest quality tube feeders
are made of a sturdy
polycarbonate plastic that
holds up extremely well in
the weather. They should
also come with metal feeding
posts and metal rims around
each feeding hole or else
marauding squirrels will
chew the plastic to get at
the seeds in no time at all.
The Pleasure of Platforms

Pavilion
Feeder |
Tray, or platform,
feeders are enjoying
something of a
resurgence. At
heart, they are the
original feeder, a
simple flat surface
for holding seeds
that anyone can
construct and
appreciate. There’s
no pretense of
imitating a house or
modernistic,
high-tech
commercialism here,
just a simple,
elevated tray that
holds seeds so that
birds can enjoy
their meal in peace.
For a while tray
feeders were simply
flat boards with
four legs that
raised them a few
inches off the
ground, but newer
models have
incorporated screen
bottoms and are
raised up to waist
height. |
This particular
height has several
advantages: it’s extremely
handy for cleaning,
refilling, and access; plus
it pulls in both
ground-dwelling and
tree-dwelling birds. Birds
don’t make a mess around
tray feeders because they
simply stand in the middle
of the seeds and drop shells
onto the tray, and tray
feeders allow quite a few
birds to feed at once (so
long as one bossy bird
doesn’t take over the feeder
for a spell).
Tray feeders
are also remarkably easy to
clean. Merely dump out the
seed and spray the screen
with a hose. Disadvantages,
however, are that it’s
difficult to tell if good
seeds are being dumped out
and it’s hard to tell when
the feeder needs to be
refreshed with new seed.
Pulling It Together
Despite the few differences
noted above, feeders all
basically work equally well.
They more or less attract
the same birds, cost about
the same, and are all
relatively easy to care for.
More than anything else it
boils down to an aesthetic
choice and a choice of which
feeder feels right for you.
If you’re comfortable with
the feeder’s look and ease
of use then it’s probably
the right one for you.
While
you’re at the bird feeder
store take a moment to
reconsider how you’ll
position the feeder and
whether you need to purchase
any support hooks, poles, or
special mounts. Again, it
might be best to keep it
simple if this is your first
purchase because some
arrangements start getting
expensive.
For all of the
above feeders, black oil
sunflower will be the best
seed choice (it’s also the
hand’s down favorite for the
greatest variety of birds).
Try to avoid mixed seeds
because birds have the habit
of picking out their
favorite seeds and tossing
the others aside, resulting
in messy waste under your
feeder. Later, it might be
fun to try other seed types
in different feeders
(preferably using one seed
type per feeder), with
millet or thistle seed being
excellent choices.
Back on Home Turf
Assuming you make it back
home with a feeder and all
the other necessary
components it’s time to set
things up as you envisioned.
This should be the exciting
reward for your careful
planning. Hopefully it looks
as good as you had in mind,
but don’t worry too much
about this at first because
there’s plenty of time to
tinker with locations and
feeder options as you
explore further. Maybe your
first choice doesn’t appeal
to birds for some reason
(too close to a scary
looking structure for
instance), or you decide at
some point that you’d rather
watch birds from a different
window.
Depending on your
location, you may also have
to give the birds some time
to find your new offering.
Feeders may be visited
within hours or remain
unvisited for weeks; give it
time, but feel free to move
the feeder to a new location
if it isn’t being used.
Most
importantly, have fun with
your new hobby. Enjoy the
many birds that will be
visiting you. Try different
feeding options if you want
some variety. Keep a record
of birds that come to your
feeder and see if you can
start to recognize
individual birds that keep
coming back. I think both
you and the birds will be
pleased with the results of
your hard work.
Further
Considerations
For a
lifetime of enjoying your
feeders, there are several
considerations to keep in
mind. It can’t be stressed
enough how important it is
to maintain clean feeders.
The crowding of birds around
a feeder allows for the
spread of disease through
feces and a buildup of
pathogens. Fortunately,
cleaning feeders once a
month or so is
straightforward. Simply make
a dilute solution of
household bleach (one part
bleach to ten parts water),
disassemble the feeder if
necessary, wash and scrub
the parts with a stiff brush
or strong hose, then dunk
the feeder briefly into the
bleach solution. Clean
feeders are much more
enjoyable to watch and it
makes for healthy birds. The
same can be said of the
ground under a feeder, where
discarded seeds and shells
may accumulate. Old seeds
are unsightly and often
create a rodent problem so
it’s best to sweep up the
area as needed. Another
problematic rodent,
especially in the East, are
the squirrels that can be
either a great joy to watch
or tremendous nuisance
depending on your point of
view. Squirrels, however,
are so persistent and
intelligent that dealing
with them if they become a
nuisance takes some
ingenuity. Don’t despair,
you won’t be the only one
facing this issue and it’s
likely that your local bird
feeder store can make
specific suggestions to help
alleviate the problem.
By David Lukas
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