Offering bird feed in addition to natural food sources will help you easily attract birds to the garden. Place feeders in open, predator-free places for safety and frequent visits, and keep them clean for the health of the birds.
These useful tips will help you attract more birds to your feeders if you’re experiencing problems with how to get birds to use bird feeder.
What are the Main Five Food Categories for Birds?
If you want to know how to get birds to use a bird feeder, you have to be aware of what type of food or feed those birds like. These are important how to attract birds to bird feeder.
- Straight seeds: These consist of red and white millet, black sunflower, niger, peanuts, and oil seed rape.
- Mixtures of seeds: A combination of seeds that draw a wide variety of bird species.
- Husk-free seed mixes: Identical to regular seed mixes, but without the husks to minimize mess and enable birds that can’t split husks to eat.
- Suet (fat): Found as pellets, balls, and blocks, suet is a vital source of energy, particularly in the winter.
- Live mealworms: A wholesome food supply that is perfect for the mating and fledgling seasons.
How to Get Birds to Use Bird Feeder?
These are the simple things that you can do when you think about how to get birds to use a bird feeder.
1. Distribute seeds throughout your feeder
Spreading seeds improves the birds’ view of your feeder. It’s possible that the birds haven’t discovered your new bird feeder if you recently installed it. Grab some birdseed and distribute it all over the area.
Flying birds can see the seeds when the feeder has a flat top and some seeds on it. As the seeds will remain visible above the snow, this method works particularly well if you feed birds in the winter.
2. Include incentives to attract birds
Water is just as essential to birds as food is, so providing them with fresh water in a bird bath will be a much-needed source of refreshment. Water sources also aid in the upkeep of birds’ feathers during bathing and preening.
A bird bath fountain, wiggler, mister, or dripper can be added to entice your birds to use the bath in addition to the feeders. Sunlight will be caught and reflected by moving water, creating sound. The boom and light will draw in additional birds.
3. Add Water
Include a water feature in your garden to draw birds to your feeder. Moving water attracts birds since it is essential to their health for them to drink and bathe.
During severe weather, providing fresh water to birds keeps them clean, hydrated, and more willing to visit your garden. If you want to master on how to get birds to use bird feeder this step is essential.
4. Nesting
Bird feeders will attract birds that are nesting in your yard. Some trees and bushes provide good places for nests, but when pruning in the spring, take care not to disrupt any nests.
Don’t use dangerous materials like plastic strips, yarn, tinsel, dryer lint, or dryer lint. Instead, install birdhouses or provide supplies for nesting.
5. Plant Protection
Planting protected areas will draw birds. Add bushes and trees that bear berries, such as crabapple, bayberry, winterberry, holly, chokeberry, beautyberry, and serviceberry. Perhaps your feeder is too exposed if birds aren’t visiting it.
For protective cover, plant trees and plants, especially conifers, which have several uses, including food supplies, nesting places, and shelter.
6. Put in baffles to ward against bugs
Set in baffles to keep rats and squirrels away from bird seed. Put a baffle over the feeder to keep bugs out and install it atop a tall metal pole.
Baffles are essential, particularly when feeders are hung from trees to discourage squirrels that like to climb. To stop ants from getting into hummingbird feeders, fasten an ant moat, a tiny water cup, to the feeder’s hanging loop.
7. Throw out old seeds every two weeks
Before putting bird seed in feeders, make sure it is dry and free of mold. Every two weeks, replace the feeders with new seeds after thoroughly cleaning and inspecting them.
Throw away any outdated seeds. Cleaning keeps birds healthy and stops the spread of sickness.
8. Keep squirrels away
Invest in a squirrel-proof feeder, such as our top choice, the Squirrel Buster Plus, to feed your birds squirrel-free. Squirrels cannot harm the materials used in these feeders. Squirrel-proof poles or baffles can improve security.
To attract birds exclusively, fill feeders with seeds that squirrels detest, like white proso millet, nyjer, and safflower.
How to Get Birds to Use Bird Feeder: FAQs?
What is the ideal location for a bird feeder?
feeders near naturally occurring cover, like bushes or trees.
What is the simplest method for building a bird feeder?
To build a bird feeder, you can follow this link https://youtu.be/A1-85wKBVRo
How much time does it take birds to locate a feeder?
Birds find food only by sight, so even if they see it immediately, it may still take them three to four weeks to find it.
Do birds retain the locations of feeders?
Birds are remarkably good at remembering where they have previously obtained food.
What time of day is ideal for observing birds eating?
From 7 to 11 a.m.