When you first begin to feed the birds in your backyard it is hard to resist just tossing the bird food out the backdoor onto the ground. It’s healthier for the birds to get their “hand-outs” at a bird feeder, off the ground. Food that sits on the ground for even a short time is exposed to potential contamination by dampness, mold, bacteria, animal droppings, lawn fertilizers and pesticides.

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.