5 Tips on Having a Bird Feeder ...

There’s nothing more disheartening than seeing the neighbor’s cat tackle a bright red cardinal as he sits on the bird feeder. If the feeder is placed high enough off of the ground, then a normal household cat shouldn’t be able to even jump and swipe at the birds eating at your feeder.

I like to sit in the living room and watch the birds. I’d much rather be in the comfort of my own home on a hot summer day, than sweating outside just to get a glimpse of the goldfinches at my feeder.

If you like the way the feeder looks, then it won’t become a big eyesore. I’ve seen some pretty tacky feeders. Birds will come to just about any feeder, no matter how gaudy it is. However, I don’t necessarily want a bejeweled pink and purple bird feeder hanging off of my front porch.

There are tons of bird feeders fitted with squirrel baffles. Some of these make watching squirrels more entertaining than watching the birds. There are some that actually spin and toss Mr. Squirrel right off the feeder.

I always think about feeder accessibility when I watch my elderly grandparents fill their bird feeder. There are many fancy feeders that look great, but you have to have lots of hand strength to get the lid off for filling it. I prefer the simple flip-top feeders. No matter how old I get, I should still be able to lift that lid.

I hope you find these tips to be useful when choosing a new bird feeder. I always have specific criteria for choosing a bird feeder and it’s hard to find a feeder that fits all my criteria. Do you already have one? What made you choose the one that you did?

Top Photo Credit: Tut99 (Roger)