Bird Feeders Buying Guide

Bird feeders are a wonderful way to attract birds into a yard. Bringing birds together like this allows homeowners to birdwatch from the comfort of home. Many people will keep a guide book for identifying birds close to the nearest window. Depending on the positioning of the bird feeder or feeders, it can also be useful to keep a good pair of binoculars available. In addition to the observation opportunities, animal lovers often fill bird feeders in the wintertime when the birds may otherwise have trouble finding enough food. High fat bird foods like suet are ideal for the winter months.

Bird feeders come in a wide variety of designs, some of which may be targeted to specific birds. Certain seed types or mixes are often used to try to attract individual species, but buyers should be aware that this approach can have mixed results. Even the ideal type of food won't necessarily attract orioles, for instance, if there are none in your area or if those that are around have another preferred feeding location.

Most bird feeders fall into three main categories. There are tube bird feeders, where the birds pluck seeds from holes in the sides of the feeder containing the seed. There are platform feeders, where birds land and pick up seed scattered on the surface. There are also suet feeders, where suet cakes are hung within mesh bags or cages that leave space for birds to peck through the holes. Suet is made of high quality processed beef fat that is mixed with foods like seeds and nuts and then cooled into cakes or balls. It can be perfect for feeding birds during harsh winters.

In addition to these three types, there are targeted feeders like hummingbird feeders, bluebird feeders or oriole feeders. While hummingbird feeders are only really usable by hummingbirds, be aware that bluebird or oriole feeders may be used by other species as well. There are no guarantees of attracting specific birds, only ways of increasing the possibility.

While practicality is a major concern in choosing which bird feeder to buy, style can also be a big consideration. Some high end bird feeders are made with architectural styling or other stylish designs that make them attractive additions to the yard in their own right.

Tube Bird Feeders Tube bird feeders are often used with sunflower seeds or wild bird seed mixes. The seed is poured into the bird feeder, which is then either hung or elevated on a pole. There are generally perches next to several holes in the side of the tube, where all sorts of wild birds can perch and pluck a few seeds away for their meal. Longer tube feeders have more holes and perches to feed more birds at a time, but as the level of seed goes down the higher openings no longer give access to the seed. While this can allow homeowners to continue providing seed while away, for bird watching it's important to make sure the bird feeders are kept relatively full. Tube feeders attract a wide variety of wild birds, including those that scrounge on the ground for dropped seeds.

Some design innovations include combining multiple tubes into the same bird feeder, or surrounding the feeder with a loose wire cage that allows smaller birds through and provides some protection from predators. There are also specialized versions of tube bird feeders designed to hold thistle seed to attract finches.

Platform Bird Feeders Many birds, such as cardinals, are more comfortable eating from a flat surface where they have an all-around view rather than from a perch on the side of a tube feeder. Platform bird feeders involve a flat or bowled surface where seed can be spread for easy access by the birds. These feeders may need to be filled more often, but in combination with other types of feeder they can help attract a wider range of birds to watch. They can be filled with almost any bird seed mix, including the same seed that is used in tube feeders.

Suet Bird Feeders Suet bird feeders are often used in the winter months, when cold weather and scarcity of natural food sources put wild birds more in need of a high energy food source. Cold weather also helps keep the suet intact, which can be a difficulty in warmer months. Suet balls and cakes are available from most companies that carry bird seed, and there are also guides online for do-it-yourselfers to make their own. The key feature of suet feeders is to provide enough support to hold the suet with enough holes to be accessible to the birds. This is done with a mesh structure, which may be utilitarian or decorative.

Decorative Bird Feeders There are many bird feeders available that are highly decorative. In general, these bird feeders are designed more for look than functionality, but they can still attract a wide variety of birds if they are kept filled with seed. Homeowners who want to maintain a high end decor for their yards have a variety of options, including architecturally styled bird gazebos, or sculptural accents that incorporate a shelf or bowl to hold bird seed. Prices can range from the affordable to extravagant feeders that cost hundreds of dollars.

Bluebird Feeders Bluebirds are insect eaters, so many homeowners who want to attract them use special "bluebird feeders." These platform style feeders are then stocked with mealworms, suet, or special high protein bluebird food. While bluebird feeders are designed to appeal to bluebirds according to their observed habits and preferences, they may attract other birds as well as, or instead of, bluebirds.

Hummingbird Feeders With their jewel-like colors, tiny size, and amazing ability to hover, hummingbirds are often considered one of the most exciting birds to spot. Since they feed on nectar from flowers rather than seeds or insects, they will not be attracted by conventional bird feeders. Fortunately, there are hummingbird feeders designed specifically to appeal to and attract them. Hummingbird feeders hold nectar or sugar-water for the hummingbirds to feed on, often with an imitation flower flute over the opening of the container to signal the presence of food to the hummingbirds. Hummingbird feeders may use several vessels filled separately, or may have several openings fed by one reservoir. Because hummingbirds feed from bright flowers, hummingbird feeders are very bright and decorative, and available in a wide variety of designs.

Oriole Feeders Orioles commonly eat fruit such as oranges, so oriole feeders are designed to provide either fruit or fruit imitations using sugar water or even jelly. The most common design is similar to a hummingbird feeder, using a reservoir of sugar water that fills the cups the orioles feed from. Many of these feeders are colored orange to signal to the birds that food is here, and they may have attachments with which to include fresh slices of fruit for them to feed on.

While bird feeders attract birds to the yard for easy viewing, squirrels too view seeds as a delicious and nutritious food source. It shouldn't be surprising that what we view as bird seed, they want to view as squirrel seed. After all, they get hungry too! Nonetheless, many bird feeder owners would prefer to keep their seed for the birds, and go to great lengths to do so.

Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders Many companies sell "squirrel proof" bird feeders designed to let the birds eat while keeping squirrels away from the seeds. There are a variety of methods in use. Some bird feeders use a weight-sensitive collapsible perch that supports the weight of birds, but collapses once a heavier squirrel tries to hang out and eat. These systems are often adjustable so that they can be used to keep out larger birds if the smaller ones are getting bullied away.

Another method is to use wire mesh to block access to squirrels. A large cage may surround the entire feeder, with holes large enough for the birds to go in and out easily and get to the bird seed. Some platform feeders use a smaller wire mesh over the surface of the seed that birds can easily peck through to get seeds, but that squirrels can't reach through. Other bird feeders use domes to keep squirrels from jumping and landing on the feeder, or wide baffles to keep them from climbing up a pole support. A few bird feeders even use spinning hangers or electric shocks to deter furry visitors.

To make these methods usable, bird feeders should be hung or mounted at least five or six feet up and at least eight feet from trees or branches that a squirrel might launch a leap from. Otherwise, squirrels will often simply jump over protections such as baffles. Even for mesh or weight sensitive feeders, there is always the potential of a squirrel knocking the feeder around enough to knock seed out onto the ground. Making an effort to keep the feeder out of reach can help to minimize such attempts.

Squirrel Feeders While they can be a nuisance when they get in the way of bird watching, squirrels themselves can be fascinating creatures to watch. The same agility that makes them hard to keep out of a bird feeder can also be beautiful to appreciate. That's why some companies also make feeders specifically for squirrels. While offering their own feeder may or may not keep the squirrels from trying for extra food from your birdfeeders, it can at least provide the opportunity to watch their antics with appreciation rather than annoyance.

Prices for bird feeders can vary widely, depending on the manufacturer, complexity, materials and workmanship involved in making them. In general, larger or more complex bird feeders will be more expensive.

Tube Bird Feeders

Tube bird feeders may be a simple single tube with a handful of perches, or a larger multi-tube system with a surrounding cage to keep squirrels out. Because of this, prices range widely, from around $10 to $100.

Platform Bird Feeders

Platform Bird Feeders need a stable structure from which to feed and support birds, generally made of wood or metal rather than the light plastic of many tube bird feeders. As with tube feeders, however, they can be simple or more complex. Prices range from about $30 to $100.

Suet Bird Feeders

Suet bird feeders may be as simple as a net ball filled with suet, but they are also available as larger, more decorative, or more permanent fixtures. Prices range from around $10 to $70.

Decorative Bird Feeders

Decorative bird feeders may involve a simple color scheme on a basic bird feeder, or an elaborate architectural-style design. Because of the wide variety of ways to make a bird feeder decorative, and the unlimited lengths the maker can go to, prices fall into a larger range for this category. A pretty bird feeder can be found for as little as $10, but prices can easily range up to $500 or more.

Bluebird Feeders

Bird feeders targeted towards bluebirds are generally fairly simple, using a covered platform design, so prices don't vary too much. In general, they will cost between $30 and $40.

Hummingbird Feeders

Hummingbird feeders can be extremely simple or very complex. They don't need to be very large to be effective, though, and almost all are made in attractively bright colors. Prices range between about $5 and $60.

Oriole Feeders

Like hummingbird feeders, oriole feeders are brightly colored and have a simple basic design that may be added onto to some extent. Prices generally range between about $5 and $40.

Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders

Adding a squirrel proofing mechanism adds to the cost of a bird feeder, but they are still quite affordable. These bird feeders tend to be more utilitarian than decorative, however. Prices range between $20 and $90 for most models.

Squirrel Feeders

Squirrel feeders are made with a fairly simple design of anchoring an ear of dried corn to a base. The base may be a simple platform, or may take on a variety of whimsical shapes like chairs, or even an alligator holding the corn in wide-spread jaws. Prices range from $20 to $40.

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