Can I put a bird feeder near a fence?

Squirrels: Squirrels can damage feeders in many ways and will eat the seed before birds have a chance for a meal. Placing feeders well away from trees, sturdy shrubs, fences, roofs, and other structures where squirrels can leap from will help keep the feeder free from damage.

How far does bird feeder need to be from house?

A distance of about 10 feet seems to be a good compromise, but try experimenting. You can provide resting and escape cover for ground-dwelling birds such as Song Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows by providing loosely stacked brush piles near your feeders.

Where should I place my bird feeder?

Bird feeders are best hung in a place where your visiting birds feel safe from predators. Most important: Avoid open and noisy areas and hang your bird feeders at eye level or a little above. Do not hang feeders too close to any place where squirrels can jump on them, or too low they are within a cat's reach.

Can bird feeders be too close to house?

Keeping Bird Feeders too Close to your House

Keeping feeders too close to windows and the sides of a house could cause harm if birds fly into windows. Birds might also avoid feeders if they are too close to people in fear of predators.

Where should a bird feeder be placed without a tree?

If you're tight on garden space, wall brackets offer a great solution for hanging bird feeders to a solid structural wall. These are ideal to position on a brick wall of a house, walled shed or outhouse. Simply place the wall bracket up high for the bird feeder, so it's still within easy reach to clean.

Easy, inexpensive, along the fence, bird feeder

How high should a bird feeder be off the ground?

Pole-mounted feeders should be about five feet off the ground and protected by a cone-shaped baffle (at least 17 inches diameter) or similar obstacle below the feeder. Locate pole-mounted feeders at least 10 feet from the nearest shrub, tree, or other tall structure.

Can be used to place bird feeders?

Tree hooks for bird feeders are an excellent way to hang feeders in a prime feeding location – trees! Most feeders are designed to be hung and tree branches offer a perfect location that is both readily available (if you have trees in your yard) and is favorable for birds.

How close can a bird feeder be to a window?

To prevent window strikes, place bird feeders either within 3 feet of your windows or more than 10 feet away from them. You can even try a window bird feeder to see birds up close.

Do bird feeders attract mice?

"Mice, like all animals, are always looking for food sources. If you have a food source in or around your home, they are going to be attracted to it." According to Cavanaugh, bird feeders also are a high reward-low risk spot for mice to get food.

Do birds come to feeders in the rain?

While birds often seek shelter when rain's falling, that doesn't mean they don't need a little help with the bird feeders. When it's raining or there's a lot of moisture in the area, the birdseed in your feeders becomes susceptible to bacteria and sprouting.

How far should a bird feeder be from a tree?

Position bird feeders roughly 10-12 feet from suitable shelter such as trees, brush piles, or shrubs to give birds a safe, fast retreat whenever a predator is nearby.

Do bird feeders need to be near trees?

To attract birds, you need to put your bird feeders somewhere in your yard close to shelter and safety. Typically, this would be next to the woods or near trees and bushes. Here's why: Once you start feeding birds, you are going to see hawks hanging around looking for a meal.

How long does it take for birds to find bird feeder?

Birds take about 10 days to find a new feeder. Birds typically take 5 – 18 days to find feeders, depending on the feeder location, the local bird species, the safety of the environment, and the time of day. For example, birds in Utah take 18.8 days but birds in Arizona take 6.2 days to find new bird feeders.

What is the difference between a bird feeder and a bird house?

A birdhouse provides birds with shelter, and a bird feeder is used to offer food to birds. You will also notice that a birdhouse always has a big hole as an entrance, but a bird feeder doesn't have one. Some bird feeders also have a slanted roof like a birdhouse, but they have a big open cavity to store food.

What do you put under bird feeders?

Add a 3-4-inch layer of mulch below the feeders, then turn the mulch to bury debris where it can decompose out of sight. Replace the mulch seasonally to dispose of remaining debris. Allow feeders to remain empty for a day or two to encourage ground-feeding birds to pick up spilled seed and be their own cleanup crew.

Why don't birds come to my feeders?

There are many possible reasons birds aren't coming to your feeder. Birds don't come to your bird feeder because there is something wrong with your bird food, the feeder, the placement of feeders, the landscaping and safety of your yard, or the time of year.

Do bird feeders draw rats?

Done correctly, bird feeding will not attract rats. However, if there are rats or mice in your yard, then an unguarded source of birdseed can make them undesirably jubilant and visible.

Will rats leave garden after stopping bird feeding?

Ensure there is no mess, fallen food or discarded husks on the floor around your feeder. By removing this food source, the rats will likely go somewhere else. You can reduce spillage on the ground in several ways: Don't overfill trays or feeders and top them up indoors where spillages can be swept up easily.

Do birds eat from feeders at night?

Birds rarely eat from feeders at night, unless there is an artificial light source that illuminates the feeder. Dawn to mid-morning is the best time to watch for birds eating at your feeder. It's okay to leave most bird feeders out at night even if birds only visit them during the day.

Why won't birds come to my window feeder?

There may be a variety of factors influencing a bird's use of your feeder. You may simply be living in an area that doesn't attract birds as a result of few flowers, shrubs, and trees that they prefer. Conversely, you may live in an area that has many food options and they are happy where they are currently feeding.

What is the best bird feeder to keep squirrels out?

How do you keep squirrels away from bird feeders?

Should a bird feeder be in sun or shade?

A sheltered southeastern exposure is best for hanging a bird feeder since birds like to feed in the sun and out of the wind. Birds also prefer to have a clear view over their feeding area so they can see any predators.

How do you feed birds without attracting rats?

Should I put bird feeder in my garden?

“It does suggest that through the use of garden bird food we can have a positive influence on populations,” Plummer says. But people need to keep their feeders clean, she cautions. Feeders can spread disease by bringing birds into closer contact than usual.