What Type of Bird Feeder Do I Need?

Is your garden feeling quiet? Would you love to hear the birds chirping and see some gorgeous colors flying around in your garden? If this sounds like you, it’s time to get a bird feeder.

The most common types of bird feeders are pretty cheap, and they are an easy way to bring some bird life into your garden.

But with so many options, how do you figure out which of the different types of bird feeders you want? There are lots of options because there are lots of things to consider.

Bird feeders are designed around the types of birds you want to attract, and the types of feed you want to use. Read on to know how to decide what you want, so you can get the right types of birds chirping in your garden!  

Bird Feeders Designed Around Bird Type

When considering what birds you want to attract, the main things to consider are the color of the feeder and platform size.

Different birds are attracted to different color feeders. Decide which types of birds you want in your garden, and paint your feeder or buy a feeder that will attract them.

Some good color options are silver, green, shades of blue, black and white, red and yellow.

When considering platform size, the bigger the platform means the bigger the birds that can use it.

While smaller birds can still use feeders with big platforms, they might avoid it because they are intimidated by the bigger birds which use it. And feeders with small platforms are harder for big birds to use.

When considering what size birds you want to attract, remember that the bigger trays and platforms can invite other small animals like squirrels into your garden (who can steal the feed from the birds). 

Some examples of big platform bird feeders are house feeders or tray feeders. 

Bird Feeders Designed Around Type of Feed

Seeds are probably the most common type of bird feed. With so many different types of seed available, this works for a lot of different types of feeders.

Tube feeders are a great example of bird feeders for seeds. You can even attract different kinds of birds at once by using a triple tube bird feeder which can hold three types of seed at once!

Nyjer or thistle bird feeders are a great option for very small seeds.  

But if you don’t want to buy seeds, there are other options for bird feed! Some bird feeders are designed for feeding birds liquid-like nectar or sugar water. There are ways for you to make this at home. 

Since the sugar of the nectar can attract other insects like bees, it’s a good idea to get feeders with insect guards. 

Hummingbird feeders are an example of this type of feeder. 

Using the Different Types of Bird Feeders

Now that you know more about the different types of bird feeders, you can decide what types of birds you want to attract to your garden. Remember, to attract a bigger variety of birds, you can get more than one type of bird feeder.

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