Every where my family has lived there was always one important question "Is there a place to hang a bird feeder" now I know this might seem like an odd thing (compared to other considerations when moving into a new home) but we have always enjoyed watching birds. There is no better way to do this (especially within the comfort of your home) than by feeding them.
If your new to this enjoyable past time, there are questions your going to have such as: Where should a feeder be hung - What type of feeder should I buy - Is there a particular type of food - How much maintenance is required. The Cornell Lab Of Ornithology has a very informative web-site, filled with a variety of topics concerning birds.
Before you begin purchasing anything it's a good idea to do a search to find out which birds are common to your area.The easiest way to find this information is to do a search online for birds common to what ever state you live in. The following pictures are of birds common to Connecticut where I live.
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| Morning Dove - Tufted Titmouse - White-breasted Nuthatch - Black-capped Chickadee |
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| Male & Female Northern American Cardinal |
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| Downy Woodpecker - Red-bellied Woodpecker |
When choosing a feeder you'll want to look for something that is sturdy, squirrel resistant, easy to assemble and most important easy to keep clean. The most common style feeder are: Tray/Platform Feeders, Hopper or House Feeders, Tube Feeders and Window Feeders.
Tray/Platform feeders will attract the widest variety of birds, however without proper drainage the seed can become wet and moldy quickly which is not healthy for the birds. Another consideration with this type of feeder is because of the design it's an open invitation to squirrels
A Hopper or House Feeder protects seed fairly well against the weather but as with any feeder over time the seed will become wet, again not good for the birds. This style feeder will attract most birds, however like the Tray feeder they are another magnet for squirrels. So if you have these furry little clowns you may want to invest in a baffle (I could write an entire post on "The Carriers vs The Squirrels", they are cute but can be really obnoxious with bird feeders). Hopper feeders can either be mounted on a pole or suspended with a hanger.
Tube feeders are just that, hollow tubes that will keep seed fairly clean and dry. Some may have metal feeding ports which maybe somewhat squirrel resistant. I say somewhat because squirrels often will chew through the end cap or even the plastic tube itself. I'm not kidding, these little devils are persistent. Some tube feeders are huge, accommodating a dozen or more birds at a
time and can hold several types of seed. But these are best used only during times when many birds are
using them.
Window feeders are plastic feeders that affixed to your windows glass with suction cups, they also come as
platform feeders that hook into window frames. These feeders will give you a wonderful, close-up view of
the birds and their placement makes them the safest of all feeder types
for preventing window collisions. Because many birds feed while standing
on the seeds in window feeders, the food will become easily soiled, so the
seed in these feeders should be changed regularly. This type of feeder should be kept very clean and because of the design they are the easiest to access for filling and cleaning.
When choosing bird seed your going to find many different varieties and mixes. Most will contain similar seeds such as Black Sun-flower, Safflower, Cracked Corn and Millet. You will also find specialty mixes like Fruit & Nut blends which is what I feed our birds.
I love this blend from Pennington, it has lots of fruit and nuts (it also has a terrific aroma) it's a little more expensive but the birds love it and don't waste any seed.
The last two things are "Where to hang a feeder" and "Maintenance". Hopper or House feeders can either be mounted on a pole or hung with a hook, which ever method you choose make sure your able to see the feeder comfortably (a view from several different windows is ideal) after all the whole point is to be able to watch your feathered friends enjoying a meal. I only have one feeder this winter (normally I've got two) so I've hung it from the side of the house (squirrels can't reach it) and it can be seen from my kitchen and living room.
You will need to maintain your feeder by emptying out any old seed when you refill it. Also, periodically (especially in warmer weather) you will need to take it apart and wash it out.
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| View From My Kitchen Window This Morning |
Give feeding birds a try, it's a wonderful way to get to know nature and it's very relaxing. One of my favorite things is standing at my kitchen window with the first coffee of the day and watching these little guys have their breakfast.
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