| 1. Backyard birds have different feeding requirements. | | | | - Keeps seed off the ground to prevent spoiling. |
| Different styles of feeders will attract different and a | | | | - Can be located under an existing feeder to catch |
| larger variety of birds to your backyard. These are | | | | seeds dropped by birds. |
| the basic bird feeders for an all around good | | | | Suet Bird Feeders: Suet bird feeders using either |
| backyard bird feeding program: | | | | commercial suets, or suet from your local meat |
| Seed Tube Bird Feeder: Open port seed tube bird | | | | market, provide a great source of year round protein. |
| feeders are considered exclusive bird feeders | | | | Placed on or near a tree this feeder will attract Nut |
| meaning, they exclude many larger birds. These | | | | Hatches, Brown Creepers, Chickadees, and a variety |
| feeders primarily attract a variety of smaller birds. | | | | of woodpeckers. Wrens will occasionally feed on the |
| However, when a seed saver tray is added, it will | | | | suet as well. Suet is in high demand for these birds |
| allow larger birds a place to perch and feed. | | | | during the spring and summer months. |
| - Exclusive bird feeder. Excludes larger birds. Primarily | | | | - Suet is for the birds of the tree trunk zone. |
| feeds smaller birds such as chickadees, finch, and | | | | - Commercial suets of 100% rendered beef fat are |
| nuthatches. | | | | preferred. There is a large variety of commercial |
| - Made from a variety of materials. (PVC, | | | | suets which contain various products from seeds and |
| Polycarbonate, steel, acrylic) Most PVC and | | | | nuts to fruits mixed into 100% tallow.Pure suets, |
| Polycarbonate tubes carry a lifetime guarantee. | | | | mixtures which do not contain nuts, seed and other |
| - Preferred feed to use is black oil sunflower seed, | | | | products are least attractive to squirrels and |
| sunflower hearts, safflower seed, or other nut based | | | | European Starlings. |
| mixes. | | | | - Feed suet year round. Although it provides a great |
| - Easily hung, but can be post mounted. | | | | source of energy during the winter months, birds will |
| - Seed saver trays can be attached to the bottoms. | | | | actually consume more animal protein between March |
| - A good starter feeder for the backyard | | | | and August during the stresses of nesting and raising |
| Nyjer Thistle: A very specialized feeder for Nyjer | | | | their young. Oftentimes woodpeckers will bring their |
| thistle or finch mixes which primarily attracts birds of | | | | young to the suet feeder once they have fledged |
| the finch family such as Goldfinch, House Finch, Purple | | | | the nest. |
| Finch and Pine Siskin. Indigo Buntings will feed on | | | | - Up-side down suet feeders will help to reduce |
| these feeders if those birds are in your area. | | | | Starlings from over-powering the feeder. Suet |
| - A tube feeder that is designed for feeding Nyjer | | | | feeders surrounded by cages will repel Starlings as |
| thistle, a small imported seed. | | | | well as squirrels. |
| - Attracts goldfinch, house finch, pine siskin, purple | | | | - If using a simple hanging wire suet basket, simply |
| finch. Indigo buntings and other finch like birds. | | | | leave the hard plastic shell on the suet cake so the |
| - Made from a variety of materials.(PVC, | | | | suet is only exposed one side. Then hang the basket |
| Polycarbonate, steel, acrylic, and wood. PVC and | | | | at a steep angle or directly upside down. If Starlings |
| Polycarbonate tubes usually carry a lifetime | | | | land on the top they cannot peck through the plastic |
| guarantee.) | | | | shell. |
| - Use Nyjer thistle or a quality finch mix.(Best Finch | | | | 2. General wild bird mixes are best placed on or near |
| Mix: 50% Nyjer seed and 50% fine sunflower chips.) | | | | the ground for ground feeding birds. Reserve |
| - Hang thistle feeders near small bushes or trees with | | | | elevated feeders for the nuts or nut based mixes. |
| lower branches. | | | | Avoid general bird mixes containing Milo, red millet or |
| Hopper Bird Feeders: This is a good all around feeder | | | | wheat. These are filler seeds which bulk up the |
| for attracting a variety of both large and small | | | | weight thus lowering the price. While game birds and |
| backyard feeder birds. It is considered a | | | | house sparrows consume these products they are |
| non-exclusive bird feeder since it does not exclude | | | | not desired by song birds. Read the label for key |
| any birds. If the feeding area is large enough | | | | ingredients. |
| occasionally ground feeding birds will feed on this | | | | 3. Thistle seed has an extremely short shelf life of 3 |
| type of feeder, especially if the ground is covered | | | | to 5 months. This is the result of heat sterilization of |
| with snow or ice. | | | | the imported seed by the USDA. This method is used |
| - Non-exclusive feeder which attracts both large and | | | | to avoid introducing non-native plants into North |
| small birds. | | | | America. A newly purchased bag of thistle seed does |
| - Storage capacity for holding quantities of feed. | | | | not guarantee freshness since many merchants may |
| - Available in a variety of durable materials. (Cedar, | | | | stock large quantities for long periods of time. |
| metal, recycled plastic, acrylic) | | | | Songbirds will reject feeders containing old thistle |
| - Recommended feeds: black oil sunflower seed, | | | | seed is the primary cause in failing to attract birds to |
| safflower seed or any nut based mix combination. | | | | a thistle feeder. Inquire about the freshness of the |
| - Can be hung or post mounted. | | | | seed you purchase, or purchase from reputable |
| - Good basic backyard bird feeder. | | | | suppliers. |
| Platform Bird Feeders: Elevated platform bird feeders | | | | 4. To deter squirrels and grackles, use safflower seed |
| are another of the non-exclusive bird feeders. It does | | | | by itself in any of the bird feeders with the |
| not exclude any birds. Large and small birds alike can | | | | exception of thistle tube feeders. Safflower seed is |
| access it very easily along with some birds that | | | | attractive to cardinals, house finch, chickadees, doves |
| typically feed on the ground. | | | | and other birds, yet grackles rarely feed on it if at all. |
| - A non-exclusive bird feeder that is very versatile. | | | | A feeder filled with safflower seed may be hung in a |
| - Can be hung or mounted on a pole or post. Some | | | | tree next to a squirrels nest and they will totally |
| have a roof to protect the seed from inclement | | | | ignore it. Make it a part of you feeding program. It |
| weather. Screen or perforated steel or nylon | | | | may take up to a week for your birds to become |
| bottoms prevent water from accumulating in the | | | | accustomed to safflower seed if it has never been |
| feeder and helps to dry out seed if it becomes wet. | | | | offered to them before. |
| - Available in a variety of durable materials. (Cedar, | | | | 5. Although winter is the traditional bird feeding |
| metal, recycled plastic and acrylic) | | | | period, many people have established year round bird |
| - Recommended feeds: Black oil sunflower seed, | | | | feeding programs. Natural foods become scarce after |
| safflower seed, sunflower hearts, or any nut based | | | | winter until a new crop of seeds and berries ripen in |
| mix combination. Also a good feeder to use with | | | | late summer. Wildlife biologists have found that birds |
| general wild bird mixes. | | | | nest earlier, quicker, and have more successful |
| - Excellent bird feeder for peanuts in the shell, meal | | | | nestings when supplemental foods are offered. This |
| worms, and fruits. | | | | is due to less time spent foraging and competing for |
| Ground Feeders: Ground bird feeders are the perfect | | | | low food reserves after winter. For example: |
| feeder for ground foraging birds such as native | | | | Woodpeckers during the nesting season eat more |
| sparrows, juncos and doves. Also attractive to the | | | | suet between March and July than all winter long. You |
| more opportunistic birds such as Cardinals and Jays. | | | | can attract a large variety of birds through-out the |
| These feeders keep the bird seed off the ground | | | | year by establishing a year round bird feeding |
| reducing spoilage. Besides being more sanitary for the | | | | program. |
| birds it is also keeps debris off the ground and is | | | | 6. Providing a fresh source of water for birds is an |
| easier to dispose of the shells. | | | | important feature during all seasons. Puddles of rain |
| - Ground feeders are just that, feeders which sit on | | | | water contain pollutants and toxins that are harmful |
| or near to the ground for ground foraging birds such | | | | to birds. In winter, open water is a rare commodity. |
| as mourning doves, native sparrows, Juncos, and | | | | Searching for water in frigid temperatures can waste |
| towhees. | | | | precious energy needed to get birds through cold |
| - Screen or perforated bottoms prevent water from | | | | winter nights. And clean feathers provide valuable |
| standing in the feeder and allows the seed to air dry | | | | insulation to help keep them warm. Motion created in |
| after rain & snow. Available with or without | | | | water, either by a waterfall or a dripper, attracts high |
| roofs. | | | | flying birds, and is heard at a great distance. |
| - Use safflower seed and white Proso millet in this | | | | These are the six basic bird feeders for a well |
| feeder which will attract a variety of the birds you | | | | planned backyard bird feeding program. For more |
| prefer while deterring squirrels and the Common | | | | information on additional kinds of bird seed to use |
| Grackles. (A good feeder for general wild bird mixes | | | | with these bird feeders, and what birds you can |
| if squirrels are not a problem.) | | | | expect to attract, please refer to the Bird Seed |
| - A variety of other birds will also feed at ground | | | | Preference Guide. |
| level such as northern cardinals and house finch. | | | | |