Bird Feeders–How to Choose the Right One

Bird feeders are an excellent way to attract birds into your surroundings.  They are a way of insuring that your feathered friends are cared for and visiting you all year long.  The tips found on this page will insure that you and the birds are happy all year long.  First, you must decide what type of bird you are looking to attract.  This will determine what type of bird feeder you are going to get.  Below, are some common styles:

Platform feeders attract birds that feed from the edge.  They have a long, narrow platform that minimize contamination of the feeding station.  They attract species such as cardinals, blackbirds and wrens. Suet feeders come in many styles but all styles have something in common.  They are all designed to hold suet cakes.  Usually, they have a wired cage that has a platform or perch in front.  The birds, then, are able to peck at the suet from the front of the feeder.  Among birds attracted to this type of feeder are mockingbirds, creepers, woodpeckers, jays and bluebirds. Tube feeders look like long cylinders that hold seed.  The feeders are surrounded by perches and feeder holes at different levels.  Usually, there is a platform at the bottom of the feeder to catch loose seed and give the birds extra perching space.  Among birds attracted to this type of feeder are woodpeckers, finches, chickadees and titmice. Hummingbird feeders do, exactly, what the name says.  They feed hummingbirds.  They are filled with liquid hummingbird nectar or a simple mixture of sugared water.  It enables hummingbirds to drink with their long bills.  The feeder should have a bottom tray to catch spills and provide sufficient feeding space.

Notwithstanding, what species of birds you would like to attract, some general rules apply to all birdhouses when looking for a bird feeder.  These guidelines will insure that your birds stay happy and healthy and that your feeder lasts through many a season:

The bird feeder should be weather-resistant.  If the wooden feeder is your preferred medium, cedar and redwood are among the best.  Care should be taken to insure the feeder is not lumber that has been chemically treated and that painted surfaces do not chip.  If a metal feeder is your medium, care must be given so that the metal is not in direct sunlight as it can get overheated for the birds. Also, consideration should be given so that the bird feeder is easy to clean and can be easily filled.  Feeders that are shaped like boxes should have removable roofs.  This will enable you to pour seed in easily and remove leftover shells.  Tube feeders and other long, narrow feeders should have tops and bottoms that are removable.  This will make it convenient to run water through it in order to keep it clean.

The right feeder will make your yard a popular visiting site for your feathered friends all year round and give you many hours of pleasure bird watching.

How to choose bird feeders for your backyard

Your local garden center or online retailer is likely to have a massive selection of bird feeders to choose from in various sizes, shapes, colors and prices and it can be difficult to know which bird feeder will be the best for the birds in your garden or backyard. Regardless of the type of bird feeder you decide to purchase it should be built of sturdy material, easy to clean and squirrel proof!

The most popular choices are tubular bird feeders and platform feeders. Tubular feeders are built using a plastic or metal tube with various holes to allow the seed to come out. Many of these feeders have perches for birds to rest on while feeding. Look for a tubular bird feeder that has a solid hook or chain to hang it from a tree or pole, a large tube so you are not refilling everyday and a mesh or dome to protect your food from squirrels.

Platform feeders can be simply be a sheet of plywood raised off the ground and covered with seeds, fruit or other food.  A platform feeder about one foot off the ground is perfect for attracting birds that feed on the ground such as sparrows, doves or juncos. You can also hang a platform feeder from a tree or mount on a pole to attract a vast array of different birds. Again remember to look for protection of squirrels and ensure any wooden surfaces have been protected from the weather.

Hopper feeders are a bit more expensive but are usually easier to look after and come in a variety of interesting styles, including a Victorian house!  The main advantage is this type of feeder automatically restocks the feeder until the feed has been exhausted from the hopper – this means you don’t have to refill the feeder every day. Look for hopper bird feeders which hold a decent amount of seed and are easy to clean. You’ll attract many kinds of birds with these feeders including woodpeckers, cardinals and jays.

Window feeders attach to a pane of glass and allow you to see the birds while they are feeding from the comfort and warmth of your house. It may take slightly longer for the birds to feel comfortable feeding in this way but soon you’ll have a variety of birds feeding right next to your living room window!

The final types of bird feeders are the suet feeder and nectar bird feeders. Suet feeders are usually consist of a wire cake that suet cakes are attached to – suet feeders can be difficult to clean but do attract a variety of birds in winter and summer. Nectar bird feeders are diesgned to attract hummingbirds and Orioles. The birds ‘suck’ a sugary water from an inverted bottle or from a saucer that drips the liquid through the feeder.

It’s often worth having a selection of bird feeders in your garden to attract different types of birds at different times of the year. If you buy bird feeders that have been built well, they should last for a number of years and bring you lots of pleasure.

The Best Tube Bird Feeder, 5 Tips To Help You Choose The Right One For Your Backyard

What is the best tube bird feeder? How do you tell the difference and is there a difference? The best tube bird feeder is one that suits your needs, not someone else’s. The best tube bird feeder will stand up to time, be easy to fill and clean, doesn’t clog easily and is affordable. For most people, this pretty much sums it up. However, do you know what to look for when you choose your next tube bird feeder? Well, we are going to give you 5 easy tips to assist you on your next purchase.

Materials. Most tube bird feeders are made of an 18″ long clear, plastic tube with holes arranged in a staggered way to allow 3-6 birds to eat comfortably. The best plastic tube feeder will be made with the UV stabilized polycarbonate tubes that won’t yellow with age. This tube is very flexible when you squeeze it. Hard plastic tube feeders look more durable but after a short time in the harsh elements, they become very brittle and crack easily. Portals. In the industry, we call the holes birds sit and eat from “portals.” They look almost like a ship’s window, openings surrounded by metal. Portals can be made of plastic, wood, or metal. Plastic breaks easy and can be chewed, but is cheaper. Same goes for wooden portals. Metal portals made of aluminum die-castings last a lifetime and resist even the sharpest teeth. Hole Arrangement. This is one area that backyard birders never look for. Take a look at how the portals are arranged down the tube. The best tube bird feeders make sure that the holes are not on top of one another, they should be staggered around the tube. Overcrowding stresses the birds. Less stress means wild birds will stay longer in your yard. Tops & Bottoms. The best tube bird feeders are made with easy-opening tops and bottoms, without needing special tools. You open the top to fill the feeder and remove the bottom of an empty feeder to allow for simple cleaning. Due to their design, tube bird feeders are notorious for trapping moisture. The bottom of any tube feeder is the area that causes hardening of the seeds inside. You need complete access to remove old, moldy seed. Hangar. Another overlooked component of tube feeders. Strings, ropes and cords are not the best choice to hang a tube feeder because they snag and break too easy. The best tube bird feeder will have a metal loop-shaped hangar at the top. This is usually attached to the feeder on the sides and holds the top in place. You simply slide the top up the sturdy metal hangar to fill the feeder.

Use these 5 tips to help you choose the best tube bird feeder for you. Look over each tube bird feeder, feel the materials, look at the portals, tops, bottoms and hangar. With this new knowledge, you can be sure that the best value for you is not the cheap, throwaway models. After purchasing 3 or 4 of these in one season, you will have already covered the cost of the best tube bird feeder you can find.

Still need help choosing? After two decades of serving the backyard bird feeding public, we believe these are the best tube bird feeders available. No-questions-asked lifetime warranties, all metal construction, UV resistant tubes and ornithologically correct portals put them at the top of the birding world. If you are not able to purchase these products in your area, simply visit our website www.wildbirddepot.com for the entire line at value prices. Start now and enjoy your birds.

 

A Guide To Choose The Right Bird Feeder and Other Bird Accessories

Every bird lover would be happy with the knowledge that the bird feeders that they keep are keeping many a bird happy. But this is only possible if you have the right kind of bird feeder. The ideal bird feeder to use would differ greatly depending on the area that you live in. This is because each area has a different habitat which attracts different types of birds. And each type of bird has different preferences such as the bird seed that they like and even the correct placing of the feeder. If you follow a few simple rules, you could have many birds flocking to your bird feeders.

The first step is to determine the type of birds that frequent your area the most or the birds that you would want to cater to. Once that decision is made it becomes much simpler to decide on a bird feeder. For example if you live in eastern North America you would have the ruby throated hummingbird as a frequent visitor. They love open woodlands, forest edges, meadows, grasslands, parks, gardens and backyards. They are often seen visiting hummingbird feeders and tube-shaped flowers. So if you have a backyard or a garden and you would like these fast little birds to frequent it, a hummingbird feeder which is regularly filled would be ideal. The setback here is that these birds are migratory and they would fly away to Central America by early fall.

But there are many birds that are not migratory, like the Cardinals. These beautiful little birds are difficult to take your eyes off – even the duller looking females with their warm red accents and crest. They are usually seen in pairs and are very wary of being exposed, so they tend to not like open spaces. They inhabit areas like backyards, parks, woodlots, and shrubby forest edges and nest in dense tangles of shrubs and vines. Due to their fear of exposure, it is best if you place the bird feeder near bushes or trees so that they can hide in them if the need occurs. These birds also love to bathe by fluttering their wings to throw water over themselves, so it is a good idea to place a bird bath near by the bird feeder.

A Suet cake is a protein rich molded cake made from animal or vegetable fat, filled with bird seed, nuts, fruit pieces, peanut butter and other things that birds love to eat which are also very nutritious. The Downy woodpecker is particularly attracted to Suet cakes due to their high nutritional value and of course also their taste. And this is exactly what downy woodpeckers depend on during the cold winter months when they need all the energy that they can get. The fat content in the suet keeps the woodpeckers warm till the spring arrives. Suet Bird Feeders come in both reusable and one time use holders, and to attract these birds you would be advised to place a Suet bird feeder in your backyard or event a vacant lot. They are known to be found in open woodlands – particularly among deciduous trees and brushy or weedy edges. The also feel at home in orchards and city parks. The Downy woodpecker is another bird that does not migrate so you will see them all year round. They are the most widespread of North American woodpeckers.

Before you invest in a bird feeder, do a bit of research to determine the type of feeder you will need to get. There are a variety of bird feeders, depending on the type of bird and the type of feed. From hanging bird feeders to window bird feeders and from squirrel proof bird feeders to tube bird feeders, you have plenty to choose from.

When choosing the feed, you need to decide between nectar, different types of seeds and seed mixes and different Suet cake mixes. Apart from the above, you could also choose to install a bird bath for your garden or backyard. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes – like bird bath fountains or bird bath bowls. These will not only be very refreshing for birds but also look very elegant.

Having birds visit your garden everyday is a very rewarding feeling – not only because of the beauty of birds, but also because of the knowledge that you are helping these beloved creatures.