Ground Feeders
As their name suggests, these feeders are
close to the ground. Place seeds, nuts, and
insects in these feeders to attract birds that
look for their meals at or near ground level,
including: robins, mourning doves,
sparrows, towhees, grackles, and juncos.Hopper Feeders
These feeders are covered, and they usually
have clear sides so you can see the seed
level. Seed falls into a small tray at the bottom.
The tray or perches are big enough for
large birds to land upon. Hopper feeders
attract: doves, jays, cardinals, woodpeckers,
nuthatches, chickadees, finches,
and more. Tube Feeders
These feeders are usually cylindrical tubes
with built-in seed ports that dispense only a
little bit of seed at a time. With several ports,
many birds can feed at once. They tend to
discourage large birds that cannot land on a
small perch. Some tube feeders are specialized
for thistle seed, and they have much
smaller seed ports. Tube feeders attract:
finches, chickadees, grosbeaks,
nuthatches. |
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Nectar Feeders
These feeders feature special ports for nectar.
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by
plants, which you can mix up on your own
with water & sugar. You need to change the
nectar often in warm weather, so it does not
spoil. Birds that like nectar include:
hummingbirds and orioles.Suet Feeders
Suet feeders are made especially for birds
that cling to tree trunks to
feed. They do not have perches, but instead
are generally small cages that birds must
cling to in order to feed. They hold suet, a
high-fat food, or seed cakes, and they attract:
woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees,
titmice, jays, wrens, and more. Platform Feeders
These are open in design so birds can easily
keep a sharp eye out for predators or
approaching birds. They let larger birds feed,
unlike most tube feeders, and more birds can
feed at once. Most do not have a roof, so
rain and snow can fall into the seed, which
means these feeders need more frequent
cleaning. Platform feeders attract: jays,
cardinals, towhees, sparrows, grosbeaks,
purple and house finches, doves, starlings
and more. |
