Bird Feeders

Michael Rasco asked:


Wild bird feeders can be found in countless styles and designs. There are tube feeders, platform feeders, hopper feeders, squirrel-resistant bird feeders, feeders for particular species of birds, and many more. Though the forms and functions of wild bird feeders are multitudinous, one thing should remain consistent - a high standard of quality. Poor bird feeder construction is not only potentially dangerous for birds, it will ultimately lead to frustration and more money spent on the part of the aspiring bird watcher. The good news is that a well-constructed wild bird feeder usually only costs a few dollars more than a shabby one. If you are in the market for a wild bird feeder (and you should be - bird watching is a very fulfilling hobby), make sure you purchase a well-made product. Following are a few things you should look for.

General sturdiness is imperative. A good, sturdy wild bird feeder will last for many years. Immediately inspect your new bird feeder both visually and with your hands. Look for cracks, rust, loose parts, or anything that seems awry to you. If the bird feeder is broken, or if there is anything about the bird feeder that you have questions about, bring it to the seller’s attention. Most people in the birding business are after more than just profits; they want to share their love of bird watching, and are therefore very eager to help. If you want to purchase a wild bird feeder online, the same applies. Look into the return policy of online retailers before you buy, so you know what your options are. In most cases, it is very hassle free; they want your business and your referrals, so they need you to be satisfied.

Most tube style wild bird feeders are made of plastic and metal. The plastic should be strong and, again, free of cracks. The metal parts will likely be made of rustproof material, but check it all the same. The feeder ports, or the holes through which birds can access the seed, will be fitted with a grommet, usually made of metal. Ensure that the grommet is not loose or easily removed. It is there to reinforce the hole in the plastic and prevent cracking. It will often have a little perch attached at the bottom, also. The fact that your beloved backyard birds will alight on that perch is all the more reason to be sure that the grommet is stable.

Look at the method of construction. Screws and welds are strong and long lasting. Few, if any, nails should be used in its construction. Nails will come loose easily if the feeder is dropped, or even just through temperature changes, during which wood, plastic, and metal will expand or contract. The same is true of glue. Nails and glue should only be used on nonessential parts, such as decorative aspects.

These days, many wild bird feeders have moving, even motorized parts. This is particularly true of squirrel-resistant bird feeders. Check to make sure that the parts move easily, without grinding or catching. Motorized parts should not be moved by hand, as it could jam up the machinery. Motorized parts of wild bird feeders are usually weight-activated; to check them, simply apply a little pressure with your finger, if you can do so without hurting yourself or the feeder. If not, use a stick or a pencil, or wait until a squirrel tries to get at the seed. The only sound should be the whir of the tiny motor and possibly the angry chattering of the retreating squirrel. You should not hear squeaking (except from squirrels) or grating. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance.

Once you deploy the wild bird feeder, watch it for any issues that may not have been apparent in the initial inspection. Contact the seller as soon as possible if you see any problems. Most wild bird feeder stores will be very understanding as long as the problem did not arise through misuse or abuse.

Now that you are confident in the quality of your wild bird feeder, it is time to fill it with nutritious seed, and enjoy the birds!



Debra

johnxspeaking asked:


Sparrows gourge at my feeder nonstop and I’d like to find a way - possibly by changing the feed - of minimizing or eliminating their attraction to the feeder.

Edward

junebug asked:


The bird was black and white on its back, its underbelly (chest)was mainly white but it had a bright red splotch (almost like a bib) on its chest. It’s beak was a whitish grey color and was much thicker looking then other wild birds I’ve seen.

Joy

Larry Jordan asked:


If you have squirrel problems, a squirrel-proof bird feeder may be your best solution. There are several species of ground squirrels and tree squirrels in North America that can create problems for bird enthusiasts. The Fox Squirrel and the Eastern and Western Gray Squirrels are species of tree squirrels that are most commonly involved with causing problems for home owners and bird watchers.

Squirrel-proof bird feeders come in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. They range from the simple baffle-topped feeders, to the weight activated hopper feeders like the Homestead Super Stop-A-Squirrel. For the serious backyard birder there is the Droll Yankees’ Yankee Flipper that uses a battery operated device, activated by the squirrel’s weight, to (harmlessly) propel the squirrel off of the feeder.

One of the major problems bird watchers have with squirrels is that the squirrels take over the feeders and scare the birds away. But that’s not the only problem. Depending on the season and what’s available locally, the squirrel’s diet is made up mostly of nuts, fruits, plant buds, seeds and flowers. However, squirrels are not vegetarian. They also eat bird eggs and nestlings that they will snatch right out of birdhouses. They may pounce on unsuspecting birds at feeders also.

There are two clear strategies for solving the problem of keeping squirrels away from your feeders and birdhouses. You can prevent the (cute) pesky rodents from gaining access to your treasures, or you can give them a better, alternate place to dine.

Let’s tackle the preventative strategy first. There are some very simple ways to keep your birdhouses and feeders safe from squirrel damage. And let me add here that it is imperative to keep your birdhouses safe from possible predation. You can build your own predator guard from my plans or you can purchase squirrel baffles, which come in a variety of styles, sizes, shapes and colors.

What you want to do is to keep squirrels away from your feeders and birdhouses right from the start. Squirrels are very persistent and once they find an easy source of food, they will try to overcome any obstacle you may put in their way.

Squirrels are extremely agile and can leap eight feet or more and climb almost anything. For this reason alone, if you have squirrel problems in your yard, keep your bird feeders and birdhouses at least eight feet away from any tree limbs or man-made structures and install baffles on the supporting posts.

If you must hang your bird feeders in trees, you will want to keep them away from the main trunk and equip them with a dome baffle or simply use a squirrel-proof bird feeder that is designed with a dome-type top.

Another popular style of squirrel-proof bird feeders is the caged feeder. The caged feeders consist of an inner feeder that contains the seed, surrounded by a wire cage that prevents squirrels from getting to that seed. They simply put the food out of reach for the hungry squirrel.

Even the most persistent squirrels should be thwarted by any of these squirrel-proof bird feeders or baffle feeder combinations. So let’s consider the second strategy of giving the squirrels a better alternative than your bird feeders or birdhouses for their banquets.

This strategy involves setting up a squirrel feeding station somewhere away from your bird feeders with the food stuffs that squirrels really like. There are several different squirrel feeders that not only let the squirrels enjoy the nuts, sunflower seeds and fruit they like the most, there are some that let you watch their antics as they feed on one of their favorite foods, corn on the cob.

So whether you love squirrels or hate ‘em, these are some solutions to the “squirrel dilemma” that many birders face. You may even have some new thoughts on how you can live with squirrels and keep your bird feeders and birdhouses off limits to these cute, furry critters.



Carla

Lee Dobbins asked:


More and more people are starting to get into feeding wild birds in their yards and gardens. That is because wild birds, even how wild they may tend to be, will always return to that especially allotted spot where they can find great seeds to eat.

Bright and lively groups of birds, flying around the bird feeder is also a great, amusing and relaxing sight to see. That can be one of the logical reasons why there is a rising number of people who are getting more and more interested at investing in decorative bird feeders.

In the past, people from several countries have become fond of attending to homing pigeons. Now, it is not only pigeons that are catching the attention of people who invest in bird feeders. Other wild birds can also be served by wild bird feeders.

Decorative

Because people would not get anything from their investment in feeders aside from the pretty sight of birds coming home and feeding the communal food served to them, bird feeder makers have started making the structures as beautiful as possible to further spice up the sight.

Nowadays, you could see feeders that are decoratively designed so that the structures alone are already a pretty good sight to look at. Them having birds would extremely be a pleasure for observers.

There are a number of specialty shops and bird feeder manufacturers which currently distribute decorative wild bird feeders. You would surely be amazed at how these feeders look like. They are in the form of real home structures, and the designs are truly profound and extravagant.

There are special decorative bird feeders that actually costs a lot more expensive than the average home for people. Also take note that several decorative bird feeders are actually designed by good architects and are built from the finest and most flexible raw materials.

Fun collection

Decorative bird feeders can also be fun to collect. Such collections would surely be fun, because they are not just aesthetic, these objects are also extremely useful, especially to birds.

People are greatly admiring the beauty of decorative feeders, which become host to a number of colorful and different breeds and seizes of different types of birds.

Each season, there may be different types of birds that may swoon in and troupe around the special bird structures. It is such sights that make collecting feeders very much fun.

Migrating birds

The most usual beneficiaries of the decorative bird feeders are the migratory birds who flock out of their area origins during winter. Not only would you be providing food to such migratory organisms. You would also be providing them with temporary shelter or resting place where they can recharge after flying thousands of miles.

Spectators also gaze up and enjoy the event. That way, you would not only help the birds, but also those people, who, even for a few minutes, are relieved of the burdens of their personal problems by being entertained by the breath-taking scenery.

Decorative feeders add to the attraction of the bird feeding sight. Find one and see for yourself how your day would be made even brighter by the simple joy and admiration you may derive from simply looking at a bird feeder.

Asian influence

In the market, it is estimated that most bird feeder buyers prefer Asian-inspired feeders. It is because Asian houses are basically beautiful and more functional.

Asian influence is also evident in the popular feeders nowadays. The materials of such mini-structures are now usually made up of bamboo, wood, porcelain and other Asian materials.

Decorative wild bird feeders, the Asian style, actually look like miniatures of the cozy and homy houses at the Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino and Indonesian civilization.

Decorative European and American feeders designs are also starting to shoot up, but they still have a long way to go before matching the strong demand for Asian bird feeders.

Seasons

Wild birds are particularly very busy during summer and spring, when they take time to build their own comfortable nests elsewhere. So during these periods, do not expect to your feeders to host soirees to these birds.

In other season, when they experience difficulty searching for food or staying at their nests in the wilderness, these wild birds would find sanctuary in your bird feeders.

But during summer and spring, other birds may drop by, especially the migratory birds from offshore, which could make up to added or better sight attraction.

Decorative bird feeders are really the in-thing when it comes to devising temporary shelters and feeding stations to birds. Get one now and enjoy the sights. It would certainly be worth it.



Jessica

rchsrptl asked:


the bird feeder is in my garden and I use a bird feed for all kinds of birds.

Jo

Jon Kilminster asked:


Bird watching is an amateur sport of many. We trudge out in the snow to see the chickadees, call the neighbours when there’s a bluebird in the yard and sprinkle seed out for the magpies even though they’re loud and scare our pets. At some point in everyone’s life it’s very likely that one or two bird feeders will be purchased so that we can pursue our odd obsession. But it’s tough to know just which bird feeders to buy. Hanging, tree-attached, free-standing? There is a lot of choice out there.

It’s a good idea to decide which sort of birds you want to attract to your yard, and think about which ones are already habitual visitors. All birds have different tastes and styles, and will respond to bird feeders and seeds in different ways. While your chickadees might enjoy smaller seeds and a bird feeder surrounded by bushes, cardinals will be happier with safflower and aren’t picky about tree cover. They’re just as picky as us, so it’s best to know a little about the birds you want to meet before choosing seed and bird feeders!

The best way to discover about the birds in your garden is not to surf the net, but get down to your local library or bookshop and buy a book. Get one with color photographs if you can. You’ll also learn about their nesting and rearing habits, which can become a hobby in itself.

While most small birds are partial to sunflower seeds, you are likely to find that an abundance of them in your yard (scattered across the ground by messy birds) will attract other sorts of wildlife as well. Squirrels, raccoons and the odd rabbit might come ambling by to sample the free food, and you’ll be well on your way to owning a full-fledged menagerie. But what’s wrong with that? You always did like a little bird-watching, and now you’ve got the whole zoo to yourself.



Dolores

Smartyman asked:


Hi I want to make a bird feeder but not out of wood. Just out of something easy like a milk carton. Do you know how or what to do?

Corey