Birdfeeders

The best way to get birds to keep coming back to your yard is with specialized feeders - feeders intended to offer only one food that is loved by a specific species of bird. The obvious example is a thistle feeder which is intended to hold only the tiny nyjer seeds which are loved by finches, pine siskins and redpolls. Suet feeders are designed to hold a suet cake to attract bluebirds, wrens, catbirds, jays and many other seed eaters. The key to being successful with these specialized feeders is to be sure they are always kept full and in the same location. When birds know they can depend on a food source, they will become regular visitors. Even during the summer when there is so much natural food around, our thistle feeder is often visited for it has been in the same location for more than three years now.

The best way to advertise that you are feeding birds is to have a large platform bird feeder filled with assorted seeds, peanuts, sunflower chips, some mealworms, etc. Place this platform feeder in an open location and it will soon be visited by sparrows, jays, cardinals, titmice and other local birds. This open tray will draw bird attention from migrating birds as well. It isn’t really the food that will draw the birds flying by, but all the activity by other birds at the platform feeder. This means there is food available and it must be safe if all those birds are there. This is a wonderful time to add a platform bird feeder, for birds are migrating and it is great fun to see the birds not normally in your yard.

If you haven’t tried putting mealworms in your platform bird feeder yet, do it! Bluebirds adore them as do Carolina wrens and many other interesting birds. You don’t have to buy them live. Actually, they come either freeze dried or otherwise packaged for those of us not interested in the live worms. Every year, more and more species of birds are discovering the treats provided by backyard bird feeders so the more variety that can be offered, the better. The platform bird feeder is the perfect feeder to offer foods other than seeds.

It is always recommended to have someone fill your bird feeders while you are on vacation so the birds won’t leave and find another back yard to feed in. We were away for a few days last week, but I thought with so many bird feeders in the yard and this time of the year being a low demand time, the feeders would be fine. I made sure all the bird feeders were full before we left and even really filled to the top our platform feeder. We got back yesterday and there was not a sunflower seed left! The only bird feeder that wasn’t empty was the thistle feeder, for the gold finches haven’t come back yet. As soon as we got home I filled all the feeders and of course the bird baths. While I was out there filling them, my husband called from the window for me to look at the fence. There was a line up of mourning doves, grosbeaks and sparrows watching me. It didn’t take long at all for the back yard to be a busy place again, but I won’t make that mistake again!

We have 3 Acorn woodpeckers as regular visitors to our hanging platform feeder. I love watching them and have decided to learn more about woodpeckers. Some interesting facts I have found: there are only about 25 woodpecker species found in the entire United States even though there are more than 180 species in the world. The Downy Woodpecker is the most common in North America. Most woodpeckers have zygodactyl feet - this means they have toes that face the front and toes that face the back. This is why they can grip trees, fences and poles vertically. As they climb, they use their toes and brace with their tail feathers. This is the most comfortable position for them, so it is difficult for them to use many bird feeders, but the local woodpeckers have become very comfortable feeding at our hanging platform feeder.

You live in an urban area and only have a small balcony? Bird feeding is still quite possible. First, be sure that bird feeders are allowed in your building. The best choice for a bird feeder in this situation is a hanging tube bird feeder. It takes up very little space and holds black oil sunflower seeds or a seed mixture if you prefer. These foods are loved by a variety of bird species. Also, a tube bird feeder cannot be accessed by pigeons that can be a real nuisance in any city. If you have the space, a small bird bath would also encourage birds to visit your deck.

I got so excited with moving the big tube feeder that I have been looking around for other changes I can make to the bird feeding stations in our yard. First, I have taken down all our bird feeders and given them a thorough washing and have cleaned up the ground under them. Now it’s time to rearrange. I have noticed that the thistle feeder we have hanging from a tree branch has not been very busy lately. I moved it to a hook that is about ten feet from the tree in a more open area and quickly noticed that the gold finches are using this thistle feeder much more often. It’s good news for us as well for it is much easier to see the finches now. Hmmm, what else should I do?

This is the time of the year that is often slowest at our bird feeders, so it is a good time to get ready for fall and winter feeding. This week I took down the Oriole feeders, for the Orioles have all headed south. I decided it was a good opportunity to rearrange the bird feeders in the yard. We have had a large tube feeder hanging off the back fence for years, so I thought it was time for a change. I moved it to a hook hanging off a deck that is only about 30 feet from our kitchen window. After giving the tube feeder a good cleaning, I hung it in its new location and was surprised that it took birds less than an hour to find it. We are really enjoying the change for the birds are now so much closer. Look at your yard. Maybe it’s time for a change as well.

With so many birdbaths to choose from, how to decide what to get? I think size is the first consideration. Small birdbaths are easy to clean and to move, but only a couple of birds can use them at once. Large birdbaths are attractive in a large yard and will accommodate many birds. I prefer to have two or three small birdbaths in different places and at different levels. They are easy to maintain and not such a big financial investment. The appearance of birdbaths is important to us, but not really to the birds. Get one you enjoy looking at. Birds only care that it is filled with fresh clean water and is shallow enough for them to be comfortable in. The best birdbaths are those that can be maintained all year long, so if you live in an area with cold winters, consider buying a birdbath heater to keep the water from freezing.