Attracting Birds

Feeder with suet and finch feeder hanging.

You can attract birds in many ways: bird seed, suet feeders, nyjer seed, hummingbird feeders, bird baths, mealworm feeders and nesting boxes.

Bird Seed
I prefer black oil sunflower seeds for my bird feeders. I use to have the mix but the birds would always pick the black sunflower seeds out. They usually reject the other white stuff because it is just a cheap mix. The black sunflower seeds attract many different birds, chickadees, finches, grosbeaks, brown-headed cowbirds, nuthatches, sparrows and sometimes even woodpeckers.

Black sunflower seeds

Mix

 Suet Feeders

Downy Woodpecker on suet feeder

Suet feeders attract a variety of birds, nuthatches, chickadees, sometimes finches  and especially woodpeckers. We have even seen a Red-eyed Vireo eating from the suet. A couple times there have been Pileated Woodpeckers on the suet. We find that birds do not like store bought suet.

Bark Butter
Bark Butter is like a spreadable suet to put on tree bark. It works very well and many different birds come to it. I bought a container and I put large amounts on a tree. At first I thought it got washed off by the rain because whenever I went somewhere and got back it would be all gone. But when I tested our hose on it and it didn't wash off, I concluded that the birds love it. You can purchase this at a Birds Unlimited store or use the recipe to make some. See recipe on Recipe page.

Bark Butter on tree

 Finch Feeders
Many finches go to finch feeders, but sometimes I see chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches eating from them. I usually call nyjer seed, finch feed. It is also called nijer seed or thistle seed. There are also sock feeders which are kind of like socks and you fill them up with finch feed.

Pine Siskens on finch feeder

Goldfinch on sock feeder

Hummingbird Feeders
Hummingbird feeders attract one type of bird, hummingbirds.
Though they only attract one bird, hummingbird feeders attract one of the most unique. Hummingbirds are very interest and cool to watch. See recipe for hummingbird food on Recipe page.

female Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Bird Baths
Bird baths are a cheap and easy way to attract birds. You should refill the water at least once a week. The

Common Grackle in bird bath

birds like clean water. It is fun to watch the birds splash around in the water and you can get great pictures.

Mealworm Feeders
Mealworms attract bluebirds, grosbeaks, chickadees, flycatchers, nuthatches, buntings, robins, tanagers, orioles and other birds. Live mealworms work the best, but dried still work.

Nesting Boxes
Nesting boxes work well for attracting birds. Bluebird nesting boxes are a common type of nesting box. But usually you don't get bluebirds in them, swallows, wrens and other birds nest in them. Purple Martin houses are big several story nesting boxes. Different types of nesting boxes attract different birds, there are sparrow boxes, kestrel boxes, owl                   nesting boxes and many others.

Purple Martin house and sparrow nesting box

Swallow nesting box

  

Home Made Feeders
Though homemade feeders may not look as nice as store bought feeders, they can work just as well. Here are some examples of birds at some of my homemade feeders.

Baltimore Oriole

Homemade feeders can be a cheap and effective way to attract birds.

This homemade orange feeder attracted an Oriole.

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak

Jug feeders are an easy project for kids to make.

Black-Capped Chickadee

Platform feeders are good for leftovers such as bread crusts or crumbs to throw on.

To make a jug feeder all you have to do is put something like a dowel for a perch through the jug and cut a hole above the perch big enough for birds to go in. Then all you do is fill it up with seed. You can add any thing else on it, more perches or stuff like that.