Feeder Placement
Mar 4, 2020Attract Birds Using Water
Mar 5, 2020
Getting Started
Selecting Feeders
Only nature has more ways to feed birds than BWS. (I’m not kidding!) Below is a basic overview of the feeder types we carry. However, we stock many, many varieties of these and more. So be sure to stop by and meet with our super-knowledgeable staff. They’ll help you find the perfect feeder. Guaranteed!
Construction
Skip wooden feeders that are stapled together. They’re cheap, flimsy and will last you slightly longer than it takes to get them home from the big box store. Wooden feeders should be constructed with nails or screws.
Drainage
All feeders, (with the exception or tube, Hummingbird and Oriole feeders) need to have a grate on the bottom that lets water drain out. If not, seed will get wet and moldy in warm months and freeze into a seed-sicle in cold months.
Cedar Rocks
Good quality wooden feeders are made from cedar. The natural oils in this wood make it stand up against the elements year after year with no maintenance.
Recycled Plastic
Many of our top-quality feeders are now made from recycled plastic. They last a loooooong time and help take junk out of the environment.
Guarantees
BWS stands behind all of the products we sell. So do our manufacturers. The majority of our feeders are covered by lifetime repair or replace policies that will protect your investment for years to come.
Made in the U.S.A.
Nearly all of our feeders are made in America by companies who only do one thing – manufacture quality nature products for people to enjoy. And they’ve been doing it for decades!
Types of Feeders
VARIETY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
Imagine if you walked into a food court and every counter only served one type of burger? Same goes for feeders. A variety of feeders with a variety of food will pull in a variety of birds for you to enjoy. Which is what you’re looking to do in the first place, right?
Tray Feeders
These are square or rectangular feeders with a shallow fence-like berm that runs around the perimeter. You can hang them on a tree or pole system. They’re great for attracting birds of all sizes. Plus, you can mix and match different types of seed in them depending on the season or the birds you’re trying to pull in.
Ground Feeders
These are covered and uncovered tray feeders with legs. They attract ground-feeding bird species such as Sparrows. But other birds such as Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays and House Finches will take to them as well. Of course, so will squirrels and chipmunks. If that doesn’t bother you, then put one out for a multi-species nature watching show!
Finch Feeders
Although BWS has finch feeders in other configurations, these are usually tube feeders with tiny holes on the side meant to dispenses the small seeds that American Goldfinches like best. And attract them they will! Goldfinches only eat seeds. And the tinier, the better. This feeder is perfect for BWS Deluxe Finch Mix or nyjer seeds.
Hopper Feeders
These are your classic “bird house” feeders. The roof opens up and the seed goes in the clear hopper in the middle. Gravity kicks the feed to the open bottom on either side where birds can access it. IMPORTANT: All BWS hopper feeders have a triangle separator at the center bottom of the hopper. The ensures the feed moves out to the sides where the birds can eat it. Cheap hopper feeders don’t have dividers, which means a lot of the seed just stays in the middle where the birds can’t reach it when it gets low.
Tube Feeders
Made it various lengths, these are tubes with large holes and perches on the side. They’re great because you place almost any seed inside and it will remain well protected from bad weather. Just pop the top off and pour the seed in. Nearly all BWS tube feeders come with removable bottoms that make cleaning easier than rinsing a dinner plate!
Window Feeders
Want to get up close and personal with your birds? Get one of these. They mount directly to your window with suction cups. (They hold really well. My personal record for leaving one up is 3 years. And even then, it didn’t fall down. I took it down.) Window feeders come both covered and uncovered. (Although the eaves of your house usually do the trick.)
Seed Log Feeders
Sometimes called “vacation feeders” these feeders have a base with a small pole running up through the middle. Simply slide a seed log over the top of it. (The logs come with holes in the middle.) The logs are made of different varieties of seed bound with natural gelatin that usually last two weeks. They get the name “vacation feeders” because a lot of people like to use these keep the birds fed when while on trips.
Peanut Feeders
BWS has feeders for both shelled and unshelled peanuts. Blue Jays go nuts for unshelled peanuts. Backyard favorites such as Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Black-Capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice go ga-ga for shelled peanuts.
Nectar Feeders
These feeders are made for our two favorite spring and summer visitors: Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles. Hummingbird feeders hold the sweet nectar that keeps their high-revving engines fueled. Oriole feeders are more of a triple treat. They hold nectar inside. The nectar lid has divots on the outside to hold grape jelly. (Yes, Orioles love grape jelly!) While the rod that attaches the feeder to your shepherd’s hook comes off so that you can skewer half an orange with it before reattaching the rod to the feeder. (Um, yeah...Orioles like oranges, too!)
Cleaning
Like all animals, birds get sick. And sick birds can spread their illness to other birds if they eat at your feeder. So be sure to keep your feeders clean. Here’s how:
- Mix 1 part bleach to 9 parts water in a plastic bucket
- Buy pot scrubber with a handle
- Soak the scrubber in the bleach/ water solution and scrub your feeders inside and out
- Rinse them with hose
- Let dry before re-filling your feeders
- Repeat every two weeks
Quick Ground Clean Up
When cleaning your feeders, be sure to rake up the shells and toss them in an outdoor trash container. Then place some of the bleach/ water mixture mentioned above in a spray bottle and spray the ground around the base of your feeders. This will help eliminate avian illnesses that may be lurking in the soil.