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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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