One of the first questions of any avid bird watcher is, “How do I attract and feed the “good” birds (Cardinals, Finches, and Clingers) while keeping away the “bad” (Grackles, Blackbirds) and especially the “ugly” (Starlings, Sparrows)?” While it’s almost impossible to totally eliminate a sighting of the “bad” or “ugly” in your back yard, there are a few good defense tactics out there to keep the unwanted visitors away. The tactics involve choosing the right type of seed to feed, using the right type of feeders, as well as other preventative methods.

Choose the right bird food

The first, simple way to attract good birds and discourage the bad and the ugly is by choosing the right type

Upside down suet feeder

of seed to feed. The two best types of seed known to discourage the bad and ugly birds are black oil sunflower and, my personal favorite, safflower. While neither is a 100 percent solution, both are loved by most songbirds and are at the bottom of the dining list for the bad and ugly. Another feeding solution is to stop feeding seeds that contain miller, milo, or cracked corn. The bad and the ugly birds love to pick through and eat it from the seed mixes and most songbirds won’t even eat it at all. If you already are a mixed seed feeder, no problem, the simple solution is to use bird feeders designed for songbirds and to fight the bad and the ugly. Also, try eliminating all ground feeding as it is a favorite hangout spot for the bad and ugly to eat.

Choose the right bird feeder

Clingers Only Feeder

Another effective way to attract good birds while discouraging the bad and the ugly is by using the right type of bird feeder. There are many feeders out there designed specifically for songbirds, but these are a few of my favorites. I, myself, am a big Chickadee and Titmouse fan. One of my favorite feeders, which they seem to love, is the Clinger Only Feeder. I like it because it is small, easy to fill, and has a small clinging area which not only make it Blackbird proof, but is also rarely can be used by Sparrows. If you are a Woodpecker or Nuthatch lover, try using an upside-down suet feeder. Suet is one of the main foods that attract your larger bad and ugly birds, but neither like to hand upside down, so they simply won’t eat from it. A good one to use is the Songbird Essentials upside-down suet feeder. It is made from recycled plastic so it is good for the environment. It also is very durable and come with a lifetime warranty. If your backyard is already set with feeders, try shortening the perches on your tube feeders. Smaller birds will still be able to cling, but larger birds will not.

When all else fails

The last effective way to get rid of the ugly birds is to use prevention methods involving the elimination of all together. Some might consider this inhumane,

Sparrow Trapthem

but it is necessary to help secure the safety of our native birds’ futures. For example, the growth of the non-native English Starling has had a huge negative impact on birds like the migratory Purple Martin. When Purple Martins are away from their nests, Starling will go in and invade the nest and destroy any eggs or young they find inside. Starlings have also been known to trap and kill an adult Martin if it is in its cavity. Another example of the destruction non-native bird species have caused is the Bluebird decline caused by House Sparrows. House Sparrows not only destroy the Bluebird’s eggs, they also kill the adult and young birds by attacking them inside their next boxes with their hooked beaks. One way to eliminate them is what I like to call “the old-fashioned way”, and that is just using a pellet gun. Before going with this approach, make sure you are very careful of your back stop, as well as having the gun set to the appropriate power. You also should have a pair of binoculars on hand, to make sure you properly ID the bird before you shoot. The “ugly” birds are considered pests and are legal to kill, the “bad” birds I mentioned before are still native so they are illegal to kill. If the old-fashion way isn’t for you, try using a sparrow trap around one of your bird houses, or in close proximity to some of your feeders. Inside of the trap you will need to place bread or scrap to attract Starling and Sparrows. You will need to check the trap regularly, as songbirds occasionally get attracted and trapped inside too. A good, effective trap to have is the Sparrow trap from Songbird Essentials. I would consider this a must have for anyone who has a Purple Martin house and wants to effectively proven the Purple Martin colony from being negatively affected by non-native birds. Although nothing is a total fix for preventing the bad and ugly birds from hanging around your backyard, the tips above have seen and used effectively as tools for keeping the bad and ugly away from backyards.

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During the breeding season male woodpeckers, mockingbirds and cardinals may see their own reflections in the window or car mirror and want to “fight” it. They will stop banging your window or door glass as the breeding season comes to an end.

In our case living in the Pacific Northwest our backyard is in shade most of the time. Linda was having trouble growing some of her plants in her Serenity Garden. To solve this problem we had to remove several trees.  The new sunlight in Linda’s Serenity Garden was great for the plants, but was now causing a reflection off the back sliding glass door.

How can we reduce the reflection on our glass door? Life-size, animate “scare birds” such as plastic owls or falcons do not work. Even owl or falcon silhouettes attached to windows with suction cups are not very effective deterrents.  Window or door screens and bird netting are effective in breaking up the reflection of large glass windows and doors. Our problem is we have a sliding glass door and only one half of the door glass is covered by the screen. The half not covered is where the birds fly into. Planting trees or high bushes or shrubs to block the sunlight from reflecting in the glass door was not an option, since we had just removed trees to allow sunlight into the yard.

The solution was to move the feeders closer to the house. Now the birds do not get up to flight speed before they fly into the window. Since moving the feeder we did see one bird fly into the glass door, then after striking it, turn sideways and fly away. If you have space moving the feeders a considerable distance away from your home is another option.

When it comes to buying a bird feeder, there are hundreds to choose from, so how do you make “the right choice?”  “What is a good bird feeder?”

First, where do you want to watch your backyard friends?  Do you want to watch them from a window, a sliding glass door, a deck or patio? Pick an area with easy access and in view site of where you are planning to view your feathered friends.   When the weather is bad and the birds are the most vulnerable, you may be reluctant to fill a feeder that isn’t in a convenient spot with access. 

Also remember the mess factor. Pick a location in your backyard where discarded seed hulls and bird droppings will not be a problem to clean up.

If you have squirrels in your neighborhood, then it is a safe bet that squirrels will take over your bird feeder unless you take precautions. Squirrels love sunflower seeds and peanuts as much if not more than  acorns.  When squirrels take over a bird feeder they scare all the birds away!  Squirrels have been known to chew right through plastic and wooden bird feeders to get at the bird seed.

A squirrel-proof bird feeder in the long run is a good investment. An alternative is to mount a bird feeder on a pole with a squirrel baffle or guard. Squirrels are incredibly agile, and any bird feeder hanging from a tree, with or without a squirrel baffle or guard, is likely to become a squirrel feeder.

At our website we offer several very good, quality “Squirrel Buster” bird feeders. These feeders have a spring mechanism in them that is triggered by the weight of a squirrel. The squirrels weight on the feeder makes the tube slide down and close off all of the feeding ports. These feeders also prevent larger birds from taking over a feeder and chasing the smaller birds away, as the weight of the larger birds will also close the feeding ports.

Your bird feeder should be located at least 10 feet from any tree branch, stump, fence or any other object that a squirrel could use to jump from onto your bird feeder. If you are pole mounting the bird feeder, include a squirrel baffle or guard. If you are using a hanging feeder make sure that it also is protected by a squirrel baffle or guard.

Fall is the peak season to attract the widest variety and volume of birds.  Any time is the right time to start your new hobby, however.  Our website will give you the best feeders for all the right reasons and at the best prices.

Hi-Engery Suet Cake

Suet is a high energy formulation of animal fat and other ingredients to attract insect eating birds. Suet is a quick source of heat and energy for birds, who’s metabolisms are set on fast forward. It traditionally has been used as a good substitute for the insects that birds usually feed upon but are not plentiful in cold weather. Suet can be presented all year long . The suet we offer is specially designed for year round feeding.

BIRDS THAT ARE ATTRACTED TO SUET
Offering suet in a wire suet cage feeder  is a low-maintenance bird feeder. You refill only once every week or so, you

A reward for putting out suet is that birds that visit your suet feeder will eat insects that are in your lawn and garden during the spring and summer months. The suet feeder also brings a bigger variety of birds for you to enjoy in your backyard for you to enjoy.

Designed for cavity nesting birds. North American Bluebird Society Approved.

Many North American birds nest in “cavities” (holes in trees and fence posts). Although some birds, such as woodpeckers, can chisel their own holes with the heavy, sharp bills, other cabity-nesters must find suitable holes for nesting. Unfortunately suitable nest cavities can be hard to find in much of North America.

One way to solve the nest-site shortage is to provide artificial cavities, also known as Bird Houses or nest boxes. More than 50 species of birds including Bluebirds, Kestrels, Owls, Titmice, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Wrens, Tee Swallows and Woodpickers will use bird houses. Bird houses have helped boost populations of many cavity-nesting bird species whose numbers were declining. For example, both Wood Ducks and Eastern Bluebirds recently have made dramatic comebacks. A Bird House on your property will provide a valuable home for birds and enjoyable bird watching for you. At our website we offer a wide variety of bird houses and bird feeders. These will help you to attract nesting birds. You will enjoy the sites of parents and young birds in your yard.

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