Top 10 Bird Feeders – Bird Feeder Guide
There are thousands of birds around the world, with different eating habits . Depending on your location, you may be attracting the sugar-water loving humming birds or the suet loving jays, woodpeckers, or wrens. It could be peanut loving nuthatches or the fruit loving orioles.
No matter the birs in your location, finding the right bird feeder is important. For example, you don’t want to invest in a suet feeder when your area is home to the fruit loving orioles.Consider buying different bird feeders to attract different birds to your home.
Let’s have a look at the top 10 bird feeders chosen in random order based on different bird-feeding needs
Images | Name | Features | Buy Now |
1.First Nature 3055 32-ounce Hummingbird Feeder | 10 ports to feed 10 birds at a time Wide brim mouth for easy cleaning Holds capacity of 32 oz.Comes with S hook for easy hanging | ||
2.Nature’s Hangout Window Bird Feeder with strong suction cups and seed tray | 3 suction cups for strong hold Durable and easy to clean Equipped with mold-free drainage holes | ||
3. More Birds 38070 Stokes Select Double Suet Bird Feeder | Made of solid steel Rust-resistant coating Equipped with double locking system | ||
4. Nature’s Way Bird Products CWF1 Cedar Sue | Ideal for attracting larger birds Made of quality cedar Removable lid for easy refills | ||
5.Nature’s Way Bird Products CWF3 Cedar Plat form Tray Bird Feeder | Ideal for small and large birds Comes with removable tray Easy to clean and refill | ||
6.Drolls Yankees YF-M Yankee Flipper Squirrel–proof bird feeder | Squirrel-proof (motorized perch)Up to 5 pounds of bird seeds Made of heavy-duty metal | ||
7. Perky Pet 1 312 Panorama bird feeder | Sure-Lock cap system Rust-resistant coating Includes built-in hanging cable | ||
8. Heath Outdoor Products CT-133 Clementine Oriole Feeder, Orang | Great for attracting orioles Made of UV-resistant steel Simple design for clear view | ||
9. Wood link Deluxe Cedar bird feeder with Suet cages Model AT4 | Made of quality red cedar Accommodates suet cakes and seedsUp to 5 pounds of seeds | ||
10. Best Choice products 6-Hook Bird feeding station | Attracts wide variety of birds Made of sturdy stainless steel Water bowl/bird bath included |
1.First Nature 3055 32-ounce Humming bird Feeder
This feeder comes with 10 ports to feed 10 birds in one go! It comes with a wide brim mouth which makes it easy to clean. Itis made from plastic andcomes in abright red color that attracts humming birds. With a 32oz capacity, you can feed a fairly good number of humming birds. Also, its base is perfect forthe birds to perch while feeding. This budget-friendly feeder comes with a two-part base that is easy to clean. It also comes with an S-hook for easy hanging
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- Easy to clean
- Comes with 10 ports to attract up to 10 hummingbirds in one go.
- Quality plastic that doesn’t fade under the sun
- Durable
- Can hold up to 32oz of nectar
- Not dishwater friendly
2.Nature’s Hangout Window Bird Feeder with strong suction cups and seed tray This window bird feeder comes with three suction cups for a stronger hold. To further give you peaceofmind, the suction cups come with a lifetime guarantee. It is made from Acrylic and provides for a clear,closer look at the feeding birds.It is easy to clean thanks to the removable tray. As for the bird seeds, you don’t have to worry about them getting wet thanks to the drain holes in the tray and the main feeder. This feeder is fairly large allowing you to enjoy watching more than one feeding bird.It holds up to four cups of seeds so you don’t have to worry about constantly refilling
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- Easy to assemble
- Easy to clean
- Durable
- Includes mold-free drainage holes
- Holds up to 4 cups of seeds
- Strong suction power
- No protection against squirrels
3. More Birds 38070Stokes Select Double Suet Bird Feeder The stokes select double feeder comes with a metal roof to protect the food against rain or snow. Itcomes with two separate cages that allow for two suet cakes to be added. This feeder is a great fit forclinging birds thanks to the cage grid design. It is easy to openand boasts of a double-locking systemto helpsecurethe cakes. It isconstructedusingsolid steel that is weather-resistant. The metal is anti-rust coated so you don’t have toworryabout itgetting rusty in front of your eyes
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- Durable, rust-proof metal material
- Two suet cake or seed cake capacity
- Easy to open and boasts of a double-lock closure system
- Solid steel cage designed for clinging birds
- Rain or snow may still get to the food
- It’s not squirrel-proof
4. Nature’s Way Bird Products CWF1 Cedar Suet If you are looking to attract large birds such as the woodpeckers then you should consider Nature’s way bird products CWF1. This feeder is made from Cedar and includes kerfs for added grip forthe birds. Itwill not damage easily when exposed to rain and is insect-resistant. The mesh is rust-free and its tail-prop design is perfect for giving support to the woodpeckers’ tails. The removable lid allows for easy refills while the vinyl-coated steel hanging cable makes it easy to hangup.
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- Perfect for large birds such as the woodpeckers
- Easy to refill and clean
- Durable
- Not squirrel-proof
5. Nature’s Way Bird Products CWF3 Cedar Platform Tray Bird Feeder This Cedar platform bird feeder is insect and rot resistant. It is easy to fill and clean thanks to the wideopening. It is a versatile feeder that attracts both small and large birds, depending on the food provided.The wide tray format makes it possible to spread out a variety of seeds that attract different birds. Nature’s way cedar plat form CWF3 comes with a removable tray that allows for water drain age and airflow so you don’t have to worry about seeds going bad in a short time frame
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- Easy to fill and clean
- Includes a removable tray with water drainage and air flow
- Made from cedar making it insect and rot resistant
- Budget-friendly
- Seeds may escape through the removable tray
6.Drolls Yankees YF-M Yankee Flipper Squirrel–proof bird feeder
If you don’t want rodents or squirrels disturbing your bird feeder then you should consider the Drolls Yankees YF-M flipper. As the name suggests,every time a squirrel or rodent attempts to climb this feeder, it will be flipped over. This is thanks to the motorized perch ring that is deigned to spini fasquirrel gets on it. This feeder can hold upto five pounds of bird seed sand it comes with four feeding ports. It is constructed using heavy duty metal at the base and on the cap. On the down side though, if more than one squirrel manage to climb the perch at the same time then they won’tbe flipped off
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- Deters squirrels and rodents
- Decent seed filling capacity-5 pounds
- Easy to assemble and clean
- Sturdy
- May not deter more than one squirrel at a time
7. Perky Pet 1 312 Panorama bird feeder This compact tube style feeder is designed to dispense food on the tray when needed. Itis durable thanks to the rust-resistant powder-coated finish. This bird feeder comes with alarge opening for easy filling and cleaning. It allows for 360-degree feeding thanks to the circular perch. The cap makes use of a Sure-Lock cap system to keep squirrels from gaining access to the reservoir. And,with a built-in hanging cable, thisfeeder can be hangedin different spots
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- Has a Sure-Lock cap system
- The dispenser system helps reduce waste
- Rust resistant material
- No individual ports which encourages crowding
8. Heath Outdoor Products CT-133 Clementine Oriole Feeder, Orange If you are looking for a budget-friendly fruit bird feeder with a hanging mount then you should considerthe Heath Outdoor products CT-133. This unit is orange, a favorite color to attract orioles. It has different food mounting options. You can easily mount 2 orange halves, nectar, grape jelly ormeal worms. It is made using durable UV-resistant powder-coated steel and boasts of asimple design for maximum oriole watching enjoyment
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- Multiple feeding areas
- Durable UV-resistant powder-coated steel frame
- Very easy to clean
- Simple design
- It takes time to find the right balance
9. Wood link Deluxe Cedar bird feeder with Suet cages Model AT4 If you are looking for a multiple bird feeder then you should consider the Woodling Delux cedar birdfeeder. It is made from wood(red cedar) and canaccommodate two suet cakes and five pounds of mixed seed This feeder is easy to fill but you will have to take out some screws to clean it. The removable Plexi glashas to be cleaned periodically. This weather-resistant feeder is durable and allows accessibility on all sides. On the down side though, it allows for close proximity feeding which can spread disease
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- Easy to fill
- Sturdy
- Weather-resistant
- Large seed capacity
- Four-sided feeding
- May lead to spread of disease
- No protection for the suet or seedcakes
10. Best Choice products 6-Hook Bird feeding station he best choice products 6-hooks bird feeding station is another multiple bird feeder to consider if you wish to attract different kinds ofbirds.It is made from stainless steel and comes with 4 feeding accessories.It comes witha suet feeder, a tube feeder, a peanut feeder, and a wire feeder. Also, there is a pot for a water bowl or bird bath and a food tray station
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- Easy to assemble
- Sturdy
- Multipurpose hooks
- May lead to spread of disease since many birds come to feed
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Bird feeders buying guide
With so many bird feeders to choose from, you need to understand what to look for before making a purchase. The following tips should point you in the right direction.
- No matter the feeder you choose, it should be sturdy enough to withstand most weather conditions and birds’ weight. You don’t want it falling over and potentially scaring away the birds.
- It should be easy to clean. Birds need to enjoy quality food to thrive.
- It should be easy to assemble
- If it is to store seeds then it should be tight enough to keep them dry.
- Material used should be weather-resistant for durability
- Avoid feeders that will attract more than you bargained for! You don’t want squirrels or chipmunks enjoying the bird food for example.
- Go for a decent-size feeder to feed as many birds as possible. Better yet, have more than one bird feeder to cater to different birds.
- Pay attention to the perches. You don’t want to buy a bird feeder with small and narrow perches when your area is home to large birds.
- It should have the attractive features that speak to the birds you wish to attract. For example, orioles love bright colors such as orange.
- Price is important but this doesn’t mean that expensive equals the best. As long as it is within your budget and meets your needs, you are good to go.
What to consider when searching for bird feeders
- Durability: The bird feeder shouldn’t get destroyed easily when faced with different weather conditions. If you are going for plastic then it should be good quality and have metal reinforcements. If you are going for wood then it should be made from cedar or at least stained or painted.
- Size: The bird feeder size depends on the number of birds that frequent your area. It also depends on how many you are willing to feed.
- Features: Pay close attention to the bird feeder features. For example, if you want to attract orioles, then the feeder should be a bright orange.
- Maintenance: You want a feeder that is easy to maintain to ensure good health for the birds and also for the people around it.
- Deters unwanted creatures such as squirrels, rats, bugs, ants, or raccoons.
- Price: Last but not least, the price of the feeder will determine whether or not you buy it.
Types of bird feeders
There are different types of bird feeders to choose from, depending on the birds that flock your area.
Tray or Platform feeders
If you have plenty of seed-eating birds then this is a good option. This type will attract birds such as house sparrows, starlings, pigeons, doves, cardinals, and grosbeaks. Since it is an open platform, unfortunately, this type will not protect the seeds against rain or snow. It will also not protect them against bird dropping. When choosing one, the best would be one with good drainage holes. This type has to be properly placed near the ground (ideally in an open space if there are predators lurking around) and the food should be changed often.
Tube Feeders
As the name suggests, these come as a tube, with feeding ports. This type will keep the seeds fairly clean and dry and will attract both small and large birds depending on its makeup. It can attract birds such as the finches, titmice, chickadees, grosbeaks, house finches, siskins, nuthatches, parrots, and lorikeets. Tube feeders can accommodate many birds or a limited number of birds depending on their size. It can also accommodate different seed sizes, depending on the feeding port size.
Fruit bird feeders
These come in different designs and styles. You can get a hanging cage, a tube, or simple spike and you can attract fruit-eating birds such as the orioles.
Suet bird feeders
This type attracts suet-loving birds such as the woodpeckers, nuthatches, bluebirds, chickadees, and titmice.
Nyjer or thistle bird feeders
This type attracts Pine Siskins, American Goldfinches, and Common Redpolls. You can get them in two designs: tube feeders with very small feeding ports or fine-mesh bags (thistle socks).
Window feeders
This type normally comes with suction cups that you can attach to your window. They are small and attract birds such as titmice, finches, and chickadees.
Hopper feeders
The hopper or ‘house’ feeders are designed like a small house, enclosed on all four sides. They attract birds such as cardinals, jays, finches, grosbeaks, buntings, titmice, sparrows, mourning doves, and woodpeckers. They are great for protecting seeds from rain or snow but not from squirrels.
Nectar feeders
These are generally designed to attract hummingbirds. They come in standard shapes such as a tube, glass bottle, or round dish.
Mealworm feeder
These attract insect-loving birds such as bluebirds, wrens, and thrushes.
Bird Feeder FAQs
Q. How do I keep other creatures such as rodents, squirrels out?
A. There are bird feeders that are specifically designed to keep such creatures out. Otherwise you can make use of baffles to keep squirrels away. You can go for a bird feeder with a cage that only allows the birds to feed or you can opt for weight-sensitive perches.
Q. Do I need to clean the bird feeders?
A. Yes you do for the health of birds you feed. Ideally, you should clean out the feeders at least once a month as they make the surrounding area dirty. Remember, birds are not the neatest eaters.
Q. Where should I hang the feeder?
A. Ideally, the bird feeder should be hanged in a place with little or no traffic. It can be hang on the strong branch of a tree in your backyard. It can also be hang on your porch or placed above ground with a pole.
Q. What type of food should I provide?
A. The answer depends on the birds in your area. Some birds enjoy seeds while others enjoy suet. Find out about the kind of birds in your area and do research what food attracts them the most and then put the same out. Don’t forget to provide water as well.
Conclusion
With all the beauty they bring, bird watching can be a therapeutic activity to indulge in. Bird feeders are a great way to attract birds to your home depending on the food provided and the type of birds around you. Provide them with food they like to eat and enjoy watching them to feed. However, it is important to find the right feeder for the type of birds you wish to attract or for the ones available in your area.