|
Winter is a quiet time outdoors in the Northeastern USA, but
a bird feeder brings chirping visitors back in the colder months. Feeding the
birds is fun and can be as simple as throwing some seed out. But if you'd like
to attract certain types of birds, you'll have to get a little more
sophisticated. Here's why.
Types of Bird Feeders
|
Feeder Type |
Description |
Birds Attracted |
Other Animals |
|
Platform |
An open tray that's either elevated or placed at ground level |
Sparrows, juncos, doves, jays, blackbirds, sparrows |
Deer, squirrels, raccoons |
|
Hopper |
Enclosed feeder that dispenses seed at the bottom |
Finches, jays, cardinals, buntings, grosbeaks, sparrows, chickadees,
titmice |
Squirrels |
|
Tube |
Seed is dispensed from small holes in a cylindrical feeder |
Sparrows, grosbeaks, chickadees, titmice, finches |
Squirrels |
|
Suet |
Mesh case or bag |
Woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, jays, starlings |
Squirrels |
How the birds eat determines which feeder type works best
for them. For example, juncos like to feed at ground level, so a low platform
suits them best. They tend to feed in
groups and ground feeding makes this easy. Other birds that like to feed in
groups are chickadees and nuthatches. Group feeding is common for protection
and the opportunity to find food in a common area.
hopper feeder with safflower seed
Wire mesh tube feeders, on the other hand, are good for
seed-eating birds that can feed upside down. Finches are comfortable eating at
these types of feeders and it can provide them with a source of food where they
might otherwise be excluded by larger birds.
Types of Bird Seed
|
Seed Type |
Description |
Birds Attracted |
Notes |
|
Sunflower |
Black oil, striped, or shelled |
Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, cardinals, grosbeaks, sparrows,
woodpeckers, finches |
Commonly enjoyed by many species |
|
Safflower |
Shelled |
Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, finches, cardinals, grosbeaks |
May deter squirrels |
|
Corn |
Cracked |
Doves, sparrows, jays |
May attract deer |
|
Peanuts |
Whole or shelled |
Cardinals |
Will attract squirrels |
|
Millet | |
Juncos, sparrows, finches |
Good for ground feeding |
|
Mixed |
Millet, corn, sunflower | |
Many feeder birds won't eat millet |
|
Thistle/Niger |
Small black seeds |
Goldfinches, indigo buntings |
Requires a tube feeder |
|
Suet |
Fat mixed with berries or nuts |
Woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, orioles, tanagers |
Use only in freezing weather |
Just as different bird species prefer different feeders,
they also have varying preference in seed type. If you are looking for ground
feeders like juncos, then millet is the way to go.
The bird's beak can influence what it likes to eat. Some
species have special beaks that fit together like a nutcracker. Finches enjoy
thistle seeds, which they have to crack open with their beaks. Larger-beaked
cardinals are adept at cracking open sunflower seeds.
References
Cornell
Lab of Ornithology
Birding.About.com
BirdSource.org
ProjectBeak.org
|
Re: The Science of Your Bird Feeder
