Choosing A Bird Feeder for your Backyard

If you are pretty new to Birding like I am, you will find these articles and information from Bird Watcher's Digest.com very helpful.

Bird feeding has gone mainstream, big time. It seems like there are now nearly as many different decorative bird feeders and squirrel proof bird feeders in any given store than there are species to feed in local backyards.

So how do you figure out what feeders go with which foods? Which feeder styles are best for your birds? In this article I will try to outline the basics of bird feeders and bird foods. Remember, every backyard is different, so don't be afraid to take this advice and adapt it to your own needs.

Feeder Types
Commercial feeders come in four basic types: hopper, tube, platform, and globe. This is an article about basic feeders and foods. (If you want to learn about hummingbird feeders, please see their Hummingbird Feeder Roundup.)

Hopper Feeders
Hopper feeders come in many different styles, but the old favorite looks like a little barn or covered bridge.
Learn more about hopper feeders >>

Tube Feeders

Tube feeders are long cylinders with perches at the feeding ports, and they are the classic feeders for woodland birds like chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, and nuthatches, as well as for goldfinches, siskins, and house finches. All these birds are small, and they can perch comfortably on the short perches most tube feeders have.
Learn more about tube feeders >>



Platform Feeders

A platform feeder caters to ground-feeding birds such as doves, towhees, and other sparrows, as well as to larger birds such as grosbeaks and jays. The name says it all, a platform feeder is just that-a platform.
Learn more about platform feeders >>

Globe Feeders

If you want to cater only to small birds like chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, goldfinches, and siskins, pick a globe feeder, sometimes called a satellite feeder. These look like flying saucers or satellites and they are suspended from a wire so they spin when a bird lands on them.
Learn more about globe feeders >>

Many decorative bird feeders and squirrel proof feeders are on the market, but any feeder you buy should be easily filled, emptied, and cleaned. Beware of feeders that require you to use a funnel to fill them because you may tire of lugging a funnel out every time you have to replenish the seed.

Wooden parts of hopper feeders should be made of weather-resistant cedar or stained or painted to protect against moisture.

Plastic feeders should be reinforced with metal around the feeding ports to ward off chewing squirrels.

Perches should be metal or replaceable dowels for the same reason. Because you may be looking at a feeder for a decade or more, it pays to buy the sturdiest and most easily maintained one you can.

With tube feeders, look at the bottom port. Is there dead space beneath it where seed can collect because the birds can't reach it? This seed will get icky and moldy-a waste of food, and a potential health hazard for the birds.

Can you take the feeder apart to scrub and clean it? If it looks like you'll need fancy bottle brushes or special tools to get it clean, select one of simpler design.

Beware of really cheap feeders. Not all of the $5 to $10 models available are going to last for more than one feeding season. Remember, these things are going to be filled with seed and hung out in the weather. Look for durable construction if you want to get your money's worth.

A recent trend in feeder design has been toward the decorative. There's nothing wrong with buying a nice looking feeder. Just make sure that the manufacturer didn't ignore function over form.

My website offers many decorative bird feeders and squirrel proof bird feeders. If you are reading this between October 2008 and December 2008 you will find that we are currently updating and changing the products we carry. Bookmark my site and visit after the beginning of December.