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When
a bird’s natural
plant food has waned
or withered away, a
few well-placed feeders
can entice it to stay.
There are four basic
types of feeders, but
the type of feeder and
food it’s filled
with will determine
which birds will visit.
- A
tray or platform
feeder placed one
to three feet above
the ground will
lure ground-feeding
birds like Juncos,
Towhees, and Morning
Doves.
-
Hung from a tree
or mounted on a
pole, “house”
style feeders with
seed hoppers and
perches on the side
will usually entice
Grosbeaks, Cardinals,
and Jays.
- Long,
cylindrical tube
feeders suspended
in air will bring
in an array of small
birds, including
Grosbeaks, Finches,
Titmice, Nuthatches,
Siskins, and Chickadees.
-
A fruit feeder stocked
with fresh fruit
will tempt colorful
birds like Tanagers,
Orioles, Bluebirds,
and Waxwings.
Birds
will seldom drop or
pick out unwanted seeds
if you fill your feeder
with only one type of
seed rather than a generic
mix. Black-oil sunflower
seeds are the most widely
preferred, though while
millet is popular among
ground-feeding birds.
A tube feeder containing
thistle seeds will whet
the appetite of Buntings,
Goldfinches, Siskins,
or Redpolls, Jays, Chickadees,
and Juncos love shelled
peanuts or cracked corn
as a treat in a tray
feeder.
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Suet is a high energy
formulation of animal
fat and other ingredients
to attract insect-eating
birds. Suet is a quick
source of heat and energy
for birds and has been
used as a good substitute
for the insects that
birds usually feed upon,
but are not plentiful
in cold weather. Suet
can be offered all year
long but is especially
important in winter.
Providing
suet in a wire basket
or mesh bag is an easy,
low-maintenance bird
feeder. You refill only
once every week or so,
you never need to scrub
the feeder, and you
can leave it in your
yard year round. Presenting
suet in your backyard
will also attract a
greater variety of birds
for your enjoyment.
Some of the backyard
birds that enjoy suet
include:
Woodpeckers,
Chickadees, Bluebirds,
Mockingbirds, Warblers,
Kinglets, Titmice, Nuthatches,
Jays, Robins, Starlings
and Wrens.
Be
sure to suspend your
suet feeder close to
the trunk of the tree
approximately 5 to 6
feet from the ground.
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