If too many birds at your feeder become a problem, you can control
their numbers by putting out smaller amounts of seed, or by using
specialty seeds or restrictive feeders that will attract only certain
species. If you fill your feeder only when it’s empty, the birds will
look for food elsewhere.
You can encourage small birds and discourage large birds with feeders
that restrict access. Wood feeders with vertical bars and feeders
covered with wire mesh frustrate larger birds.
The most non-selective feeders are the tray, platform or house feeders
because they allow easy access by all birds.
Tube feeders without trays also restrict access to only small birds.
Remove the perches, and you’ve further restricted the feeder to only
those birds that can easily cling—finches, chickadees, titmice and
woodpeckers.
If starlings are a problem at your suet feeder, discourage them by
using a suet feeder with access only from the bottom. Starlings are
reluctant to perch upside down. Chickadees and woodpeckers don’t find
that a problem.
You can virtually eliminate visits by birds you would rather not see
by offering seeds they won’t eat. If you use more than one type of
seed, put them in separate feeders. This will reduce wasted seeds, as
birds will toss unwanted seeds out of a feeder to get to their
favorites.
Watch a feeder filled with a seed mix and you’ll see the birds
methodically drop or kick out most of the seeds to get to their
favorite—sunflower.
[Illustration: Seed mixtures]
Many birds prefer sunflower. Some prefer millet. A few prefer peanuts.
Sparrows, blackbirds, doves and juncos will eat the other grains used
in pre-made mixes: corn, milo, red millet, oats, wheat and canary
seed. Birds will also kick out artificial “berry” pellets, processed
seed flavored and colored to look like real fruit.
Black oil sunflower is the hands-down favorite of all the birds that
visit tube and house feeders. Birds who visit platform feeders (doves
and sparrows) favor white proso millet. Ducks, geese and quail will
eat corn. Many cereal grains (corn, milo, oats, canary, wheat, rape,
flax and buckwheat) in mixed bird seeds are NOT favorites of birds
that visit tube feeders.
The most effective way to attract the largest variety of birds to your
yard is to put out separate feeders for each food:
a starling-resistant suet feeder
a house feeder for sunflower
a bluebird feeder
a wire mesh cage feeder for peanut
a nectar feeder
a tube feeder for thistle
a stationary or tray fruit feeder
a house or platform feeder for millet
[Illustration: Suet Feeder]
[Illustration: Thistle Feeder]
[Illustration: Feeding Tray]
[Illustration: Nut Feeder]