Bird Feeders

My Mother use to say if you are hungry enough you will eat it! The same goes for the birds; if they are hungry enough they will not only eat it, but eat from it! There are all types of bird feeders on the market and it is big business! They can cost from as little as $6 (pictured above) to $150 and up! The birds don't care what the feeder looks like. If your goal is to keep the squirrels out, well good luck with that! The money you spend on a fancy bird feeder could cover the additional seed you would buy to feed the birds and squirrels. Feeding both birds and squirrels will add a new dimension of enjoyment as the antics of the ingenious, flexible squirrel are fun to watch! I watched in amazement as a squirrel climbed the pole you see in the picture. The next day a different squirrel, perhaps a little chunkier than the one the day before, tried to climb the pole but after a foot up slipped back down the pole. He tried one more time then settled into eating what was on the ground. Very funny to watch. I guess the moral to that story is keep feeding them and they will get too fat to bother your feeders!

There are 7 types of feeders basically. They are as follows: globe, haven, hopper, platform, suet basket, tubes and window feeders. The most popular and most expensive is the 'haven' feeder. I would guess it gets its name from the idea that it is a safe place for small birds to eat as it keeps large birds of prey out with the metal cage. It also keeps the squirrels out of the food. It is a tube feeder with a metal cage around it. The cage limits the size of bird that can feed. In my area, Raleigh, NC, I would suggest black-oil sunflower seed and a quality mixed seed that would attract Nuthatch, Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Finches and Sparrows.

The 'hopper' and 'platform' feeders will attract the widest variety of birds. The feeder in the picture is not a 'hopper' as the feed drops continuously as it is eaten but it attracts a large variety of birds also. I have seen all the small birds use it along with Cardinals and a Red-bellied Woodpecker. In either the 'platform' or 'hopper' feeder black-oil sunflower and a good quality seed mix are good choices. The 'platform' would also handle some fruit for the fruit lovers of the air!

If anything is know about backyard birds it is that the American Gold Finch loves thistle! The thistle sock is best suited for these brightly colored birds but there are thistle tubes also. Go with your own preference.

I will leave the remaining feeders for the next post. I hope I have given you enough food for thought to hold you over to the next writing! I promise it will come soon!