When you love the chirpy winged beauties, and want them to visit you every day, a birdfeeder is your go-to option. Setting feeders in the backyard. Garden, or a balcony not only invites these little friends to your home, but also doubles up as a way to decorate the area. Before you turn your outdoors into a feeding ground for the winged ones, here are few things to know about wood bird feeders and their use.
Birds use feeders all around the year
While birds find natural food easily in spring and summer, they are often troubled in fall or winter months and hence flock more to bird feeders during these seasons. But, this does not stop them from visiting all around the year, especially once they get used to the spot and your feeding benevolence.
Not all feeders are the same
If you are a novice in the backyard or balcony bird feeding, you may wonder about what kind of feeder to get. It is important to know that while these structures dispense food for birds, there exist different types of feeders to suit different kinds of birds as well as their needs. The house or hopper comprises of a platform with walls and a small roof surrounding the seeds. Cardinals, jays, goldfinches, and red winged blackbirds are some birds that love hoppers. Tube feeders hold seeds in a refillable center. They have holes with perches along the length or deposit seeds into a tray at the bottom. They are typically hung from roofs or rods, which helps them stay out of reach of squirrels. Flat, tray feeders are placed on elevated poles and provide birds a platform to gather and pick through the seeds. Such designs can also be placed on the ground. When placed on the outside of a window sill, they allow a close-up look at the birds when they feed. Suet feeders are cage-like containers that hold cakes made up of fat and are loved by chickadees and woodpeckers. Nectar feeders that hold sweet liquid inside them are a designed especially for hummingbirds.
You may need more than one of them
A feeder with good capacity helps provide ample food to birds especially during snow and storm. A large structure usually solves the problem, but when there are many birds to be fed, it is better to use multiples and set them up in your balcony, backyard, or garden, so that your chirpy friends are never left hungry. Also, some kinds of birds avoid crowds and using multiple feeding devices helps them create their own space.
Proper positioning is important
A good placement helps birds feed with ease. Positioning the feeder a few feet away from a tree or bush gives birds a staging area where they can wait, and from which they can swoop in, pick a few seeds, and fly back to safety. Placing the feeders on isolated, higher grounds also keeps birds protected from their natural enemies like cats and other predators.
Window feeders are especially precarious for birds, which can die from flying into windows. Positioning the feeder less than 3 feet from the window or at least 30 feet away helps reduce the risk of collision. Using opaque decorations or fruit tree netting outside the window helps deflect the little creatures away from the glass.
Bird feeders need cleaning from time to time
Feeding structures in backyards can quickly get grimy and dirty, especially during fall and winter when a larger number of birds come to feed off them. A quick wash with hot water and a gentle scrub, if necessary, are all that it takes to keep the feeder spic and span.
In addition to quality food, birds also need fresh and clean water to drink and bathe, and plenty of cover to nest and hide. So, remember to add a feature like a birdbath or bowl to attract a larger number and variety of birds to your backyard, garden, or balcony.
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