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Feeding tips

Standard feeders - Available at many stores and on the internet.

  • Seed feeders: trays, tubes, and many other shapes

  • Suet cages: if you can find a narrow gauge 

             you can use it for whole peanuts too

  • Jelly and fruit feeders

  • Hummingbird feeders

  • Combination feeders, e.g., seed and suet

Make your own feeders

  • You can make your own. These can be economic and creative.

  • An internet search will help you find endless possibilities and ideas.

Feeder types

Foods The larger the variety of foods you offer, the more species you will attract.

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Seeds

Seeds

  • A good quality mix with low percent of millet seeds will attract a variety of birds.

  • Thistle seeds can be put in their own feeder, or buy in a "sock." Attracts finches, some sparrows and mourning doves.

  • Cracked corn is included with some mixes, but you can also buy separately and put in a feeder or sprinkle on the ground. A huge number of species eat cracked corn, generally larger birds (turkeys, corvids, quail) or birds with heavy bills (grosbeaks, cowbirds and other blackbirds).

Food for suet cages

  • Suet cages are for so much more than suet.

  • Try banana, mango, avocado, apples, oranges, peanuts. etc.

Suet cages

Placement of feeders

  • Placement at a height for your convenience will generally be fine.

  • Placing feeders at least 25 feet from your house will attract more bird species and might reduce the number of window crashes.

  • Try bunching feeders together.

  • Place several together to get full effect.

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Placement

Hummingbirds

  • The more feeders you put close together, the more hummingbirds will visit.

  • What is the proper sugar to water mix? There isn't a correct answer because preferences change within the season, among species, and among individuals. Try a variety to keep all happy.

  • Basic recipe: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.

  • You can dilute some feeders to varying degrees.

  • Red dye is NOT necessary.

  • If the birds do not finish, change every other day.

  • If you can add a hanging cuphea fuchsia or another equally appealing plant among the feeders, all the better!

Hummingbirds

Competitors

  • Who doesn't want an easy meal? Almost every good bird feeding station attracts other critters, such as bears, deer, squirrels, and racoons.

  • What can you do? Try one or more of the following options:

    • Bring your feeders in at night.

    • Don't fill your feeders toward the end of the day.

    • Stop feeding for a few days.

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Predators

  • Nothing is more frustrating!

  • Cats, Accipiters, and other predators help themselves to birds at feeding stations.

  • This must be stopped right away.

  • Take down or empty all feeders immediately to eliminate rewards for the predator.

  • Put back when the danger has passed. This could be a few days or a few hours.

Competitors
Predators

If you have a grudge against these birds...

  • Maybe you don't want introduced birds (house sparrow, starlings, Eurasian collared doves).

  • Maybe you have a grudge against the ones who show up in flocks of 50 or more (cowbirds, grackles, and blackbirds).

  • What can you do? Try one or more of the following options:

    • Accept them and buy more food.

    • See if the situation is temporary. Often birds that travel in flocks wander around and might not stay at your feeding station.

    • Stop feeding until the flocks leave.

Don't want them?

Water

  • Water almost always attracts birds.

  • You can provide water in bird baths or water feeders.

  • These should be cleaned daily.

  • The sun provides the best UV cleansing.

  • For a bit of money, you can buy heated bird baths for the winter. 

  • If you can create a drip system, birds will hear it and find their way to your water.

Water
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