Bird-Feeders.info

Welcome to Bird-Feeders.info! Here you will find everything you can imagine about BIRDFEEDERS and BIRDS! We love birds and are totally infatuated with our winged-friends! We know there are many birdlovers around the world who feel the same way as we do. We put up this site so we could share with you some neat products for bird lovers like ourselves. Please check out our store, auctions, photos, videos and more and if you have something you would like to share on this site please email us at: birdloversforlife@gmail.com



WATCH THIS VIDEO!


Squirrels and your Birdfeeders

Squirrels seem to be the main enemies of backyard bird lovers. If you go to the trouble of buying and filling feeders to attract birds to your yard, the last thing you want is a pesky pack of invading squirrels stealing all of the birdseed.

Fortunately, keeping the squirrels away from the food you put out for birds is actually not impossible. It is as simple as buying or building the proper birdfeeder. Take a look in any garden catalog or website and you'll see that nearly every birdfeeder offered has been designed to stop the army of foraging squirrels. Though they vastly different in design, almost all birdfeeders on the market today all have a common theme and that is to keep squirrels out of the food intended for the birds.

Now people who love squirrels may protest about this as they will say that squirrels are God’s creatures too and they have to eat as well! That is true of course and you will have to decide how much, if any, food you want to provide for the squirrels. Most people who love birds though don’t have the same love for squirrels!

Some birdfeeders can be quite hard on the squirrels as they are designed to tip to one side when the squirrels get on board which flips them off of the birdfeeder and onto the ground. Other intuitive birdfeeders are designed to close the feed ports when squirrels try to grab a snack. How do they know it is a squirrel you may ask? They are designed to be weight-sensitive and they detect the heavier squirrels and shut them out.

Squirrel baffles on top of feeders will usually keep the squirrels from helping themselves to a meal. They usually have slick surfaces that make it very difficult for the squirrel to climb up on. If they do manage to climb on, they can’t stay there for long and they soon slide off and fall to the ground.

Your best bet then if squirrels are a problem in your backyard is to buy or even build a birdfeeder with a squirrel-resistant design. Of course the squirrels will still try for a long time to get at the seed and they are quite resourceful so don’t be surprised if they find an alternative route to the goodies!

If you feel guilty for helping to starve to death the poor squirrels then you may want to just make or buy a simple feeder for the squirrels themselves. They love to eat nuts, both shelled and whole, and they really love corn on the cob! Place it in an area that is far away from where you feed your winged-friends. They get your video camera ready as the squirrels can put on quite a show! May you all live happily ever after!

WATCH the "BATTLE of the HUMMINGBIRDS" VIDEO!


Selecting a Feeder
(from Lowes)

No matter what type of feeder you choose, there are a few basics to keep in mind:

Wooden parts of feeders should be made of weather-resistant cedar or be stained or painted to protect against moisture.

Feeders should be easy to clean.

Plastic feeders should be reinforced with metal around the feeding ports to discourage squirrels. Perches should be metal or a replaceable dowel.

Look for durable construction to provide you and your birds years of enjoyment.

Types of Bird Feeders

Three basic types of bird feeders are available: hopper, tube and platform.
Any feeder you buy should be easy to fill, empty and clean. Style variations are available in all three types:

Barn hopper feeder.

Gazebo hopper feeder.

Hopper Feeders

Hopper feeders have a lot of different styles, but the basic style looks like a barn, gazebo or covered bridge:

Hopper feeders hold a lot of seed, eliminating the need to fill them daily.

The lift-off roofs make them easy to refill.

Any type of bird feed can be used in a hopper feeder.

The sides are usually panels of Plexiglas, so you can see when the feeder needs a refill of seed.

Mostly any type of bird can land and feed without problem.

Hopper feeders can be mounted on a pole or hung from a metal hook or a tree branch. Look for a hopper feeder that can be easily taken apart and cleaned.

Three examples of tube feeders: tray, upside-down and triple tube.

Tube Feeders

Tube feeders are long cylinders with perches at the feeding ports. Tube feeders are available in upside-down and seed tray models.

Tube feeders really frustrate squirrels. Tube feeders are used for smaller birds like titmice, woodpeckers, wrens, nuthatches, chickadees and finches. The perches on tube feeders are small and discourage large birds such as cardinals, blue jays, grackles, blackbirds and doves.

Tube feeders usually have holes big enough for the larger sunflower seeds to squeeze through. Some tube feeders are made especially for tiny thistle or niger seeds. Make sure there is no dead space at the bottom port. Seed can collect, rot and mold.

Platform feeders can be hung, mounted or placed on the ground.

Platform Bird Feeder

Platform feeders may be pole-mounted, hung or placed on the ground on fold-out legs:

Ground platform feeders are excellent for attracting ground feeding birds such as doves, juncos and sparrows. Any type of bird feed can be used in a platform feeder to attract a variety of birds.



Hummingbird feeder - Bluebird feeder - Specialized Bird Feeders

Look for feeders that are designed to attract a specific type of bird. For example, hummingbird and bluebird feeders are only accessible by these birds. These feeders, like other styles, are usually designed to be squirrel-resistant.

Attracting Specific Birds

To attract a specific bird that is native to your area, you will need a certain type of feeder and food.

Use the chart below to determine what type of birds you will attract based on your feeder and food type. Bird Type of Feeder Food Bluebirds Fruit feeder Platform feeder Suet cake feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Suet cake Cardinals Hopper feeder Tube feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Peanuts Cedar Waxwings Fruit feeder Platform feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Chickadees Tube feeder Suet cake feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Suet cake Thistle seed Peanuts Doves Platform feeder Tube feeder Cracked corn Millet seed Peanuts Finches Hopper feeder Tube feeder Suet cake feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Suet cake Thistle seed Peanuts Hummingbirds Nectar feeder Nectar Jays Fruit feeder Platform feeder Suet cake feeder Tube feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Cracked corn Suet cake Peanuts Mockingbirds Fruit feeder Platform feeder Suet cake feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Suet cake Nuthatches Tube feeder Black oil sunflower seed Orioles Fruit feeder Platform feeder Nectar feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Nectar Redpolls Tube feeder Black oil sunflower seed Siskins Tube feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Thistle seed Sparrows of various types Hopper feeder Tube feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Cracked corn Millet seed Thistle seed Peanuts Starlings Platform feeder Tube feeder Cracked corn Millet seed Peanuts Tanagers Fruit feeder Platform feeder Nectar feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Nectar Titmice Tube feeder Suet cake feeder Platform feeder Black oil sunflower seed Suet cake Peanuts Woodpeckers Fruit feeder Platform feeder Suet cake feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Suet cake Black oil sunflower seed Wrens Suet cake feeder Suet cake Yellow-breasted Chats Fruit feeder Platform feeder Orange, apple or nut treats Getting Birds on a Schedule

Feeding in the Spring and Summer months can encourage some birds to nest nearby, and many birds take on their most colorful plumage during the breeding season. Regardless of whether you feed only during the winter or year-round, be consistent with your feeding regimen. It is only fair to those birds who have come to rely on your feeders as a source of food. Summer feeding requirements are slightly different from those of winter. When feeding birds be sure that during the winter months your feeders are not left empty as birds will rely on this food. Suet is a common winter feed. It is an attractive food for many birds, especially when offered with seeds, but it can quickly melt or go bad in the summer. Sunflower seeds can also spoil and should be used sparingly. Any bird feed should be protected from moisture at all times since the presence of moisture can contribute to spoilage.

Always be sure to keep your houses and feeders clean to encourage frequent visits.













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