Birds Attracted by Various Feeders and Foods
Tube Feeder with Black Oil Sunflower goldfinches chickadees woodpeckers nuthatches titmice redpolls pine siskins ... Adding a Tray to the Tube Feeder Will Also Attract cardinals jays crossbills purple finches house finches white-throated sparrows white-crowned sparrows Tray or Platform Feeder—with Millet doves house sparrows blackbirds juncos cowbirds towhees white-throated sparrows tree sparrows white-crowned sparrows chipping sparrows Tray or Platform Feeder—with Corn starlings house sparrows grackles jays juncos bobwhite quail doves ring-necked pheasants white-throated sparrows Platform Feeder or Tube Feeder and Tray—with Peanuts cardinals grackles titmice starlings jays Niger Thistle Feeder with Tray goldfinches house finches purple finches redpolls pine siskins doves chickadees song sparrows dark-eyed juncos white-throated sparrows Nectar Feeder hummingbirds orioles cardinals tanagers woodpeckers finches thrushes Fruit orioles tanagers mockingbirds bluebirds thrashers cardinals woodpeckers jays starlings thrushes cedar waxwings yellow-breasted chats Hanging Suet Feeder woodpeckers wrens chickadees nuthatches kinglets thrashers creepers cardinals starlings Peanut Butter Suet woodpeckers goldfinches juncos cardinals thrushes jays kinglets bluebirds wrens starlings Hanging Peanut Feeder woodpeckers chickadees titmice
Uninvited Guests at the Birdfeeder
Once you get your bird feeding station up and running, you may run into problems with two kinds of uninvited guests—those interested in the seeds (squirrels and chipmunks, rats and mice, and starlings and house sparrows), and those interested in eating a bird for dinner (cats and hawks).
When a squirrel is at the feeder, you’re not likely to see birds. Squirrels will scare off the birds while they eat the seed and sometimes they will eat the feeder too. The simplest solution is a squirrel-proof feeder or pole.
Starlings and house sparrows are not native to North America and are aggressive towards other species. Choose your feeder and seed to exclude these species if possible.
Chipmunks, rats and mice can also become a problem where there is seed spillage under the feeder. Don’t use mixed bird seed, and if you don’t have a squirrel problem, add a feeder tray.
Feral cats and your neighbor’s tabby are a serious threat to many birds. Keep feeders away from brushpiles and shrubbery, as this offers cats the necessary cover to surprise birds.
If there are no cats in your neighborhood and you find a pile of feathers near your feeder, look for a full-bellied hawk perching on a tree nearby. Don’t put out poisons or try to trap hawks though, as this is against state and federal law.