Like people, birds have different preferences about what, where, and how they like to eat. The food court at the mall attracts a crowd by offering several options. You can do the same for the birds in your area and increase the variety of birds visiting your yard.
- Fly-thru feeders protect food from the elements and include removable screen bottoms for drainage and double protection. With these feeders you can feed a variety of seed or fruit depending on the time of the year. As shown, this BirdsChoice large cedar fly-through (LINK) attracts the Grosbeaks, Orioles, and more because it is set up oranges and mixed seeds that these birds crave.
- Platform feeders are shallow frames with durable screened bottoms. They can stand on the ground, mount them on poles, or hang them. Like Fly-Thru feeders, these also allow you to offer a variety of food options.
- Hopper feeders are basically a storage bin that protects and dispenses seed as the birds consume it. They're the most convenient type of feeder, especially for hard-to-reach locations, and for offering Black Oil Sunflower seeds or general mixed seed blends.
- Tube feeders are like small plastic pipes with enclosed ends and openings along its length. Little perches stick out around the openings for birds to rest on while feeding. Birds have an uncanny ability to find new tube feeders quickly and their one-bird-per-perch setup makes for non-competitive feeding visits.
- Thistle (nyjer) feeders are tube feeders built with a mesh that specifically dispenses the tiny seed that finches love to eat.
- Suet feeders dispense a high-energy food cake called suet (LINK) made from rendered animal fat. Chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers often visit a suet feeder. We offer a variety of suets for a variety of tastes. If squirrels are a problem, use our Hot Pepper suet(LINK)--birds love it, squirrels hate it!
- Oriole feeders dispense jelly and fruit and we have one that in addition to the jelly and fruit, also holds nectar. All are orange in color to attract the orioles.
- Hummingbird feeders dispense a nectar substitute that you can easily make with sugar and water. Although red food coloring is not recommended, the color red does attract hummingbirds, so most feeders have red parts. Hang your feeders near red, deep-throated flowers like salvia or fuchsia, and the hummingbirds will find them sooner.
Finally, the most effective way to attract birds to your yard is by adding a bird bath. Including a mister or dripper will keep a constant supply of fresh water (moving water is especially attractive to birds). Water wigglers and flow rocks are also great items to accessorize your bird baths.
Posted in Backyard Birding
