A bird feeder is a supplementary food source structure placed outdoors to attract and sustain wild bird populations. These devices offer a predictable energy source, which is particularly beneficial during harsh weather or migration periods. The fundamental design of a feeder is optimized to hold a specific type of food and cater to the feeding behaviors of different avian species. This has resulted in specialized designs built to protect the contents and regulate access for intended visitors.
Enclosed Seed Dispensers (Tubes and Hoppers)
Enclosed seed dispensers are the most common type of feeder, storing bulk seed and protecting it from moisture and spoilage. These gravity-fed designs ensure a continuous supply of fresh seed is available at the feeding points. The two primary forms are the vertical tube feeder and the house-like hopper feeder, both designed to control flow and limit access based on bird size.
Tube feeders are typically cylindrical containers made of clear plastic, featuring small feeding ports and perches along the sides. These ports are sized to accommodate smaller, perching birds such as finches, chickadees, and titmice. The vertical design and limited access points help deter larger birds like jays or grackles, making them ideal for dispensing finer seeds or oil sunflower seeds.
Hopper feeders, sometimes called “house feeders,” mimic a miniature house with a roof protecting a central seed reservoir. This reservoir funnels the seed down into a shallow tray or platform at the base where birds can land and feed. They have a greater seed capacity than tube feeders and allow consumption by slightly larger species, including cardinals and grosbeaks, who prefer foraging from a stable platform. The overhanging roof provides superior protection against rain and snow, preventing the germination or molding of seed within the tray.
Open Platform and Tray Feeders
Platform and tray feeders represent the simplest designs, providing open, horizontal surfaces for food presentation. They consist of a shallow container with raised edges to prevent seed from spilling over. This open structure makes the food highly accessible to a wide range of species that prefer to stand while eating, or those less agile at perching.
This open access is a trade-off, as the food is fully exposed to the elements and other wildlife. Rain or heavy dew can quickly wet the seed, causing it to clump and potentially spoil with mold or bacteria. To mitigate this, many modern platform feeders incorporate a mesh or perforated bottom to allow for drainage and air circulation, keeping the seed drier.
A variation is the ground feeder, a shallow tray placed directly on the ground or elevated only a few inches. These are intended for ground-feeding birds, such as mourning doves, quail, and juncos, which naturally forage for fallen seeds. Ground feeders require frequent cleaning to manage waste and prevent the spread of disease from contact with droppings.
Specialty Food Feeders (Suet, Nectar, and Nyjer)
Specialty feeders are designed based on the unique physical requirements of the food they dispense, which is often not bulk seed. These structures attract birds with particular diets, such as high-fat, liquid, or extremely small seed preferences.
Suet feeders hold solid blocks of suet, a high-fat, high-calorie cake made from rendered beef fat often mixed with nuts or seeds. The structure is typically a simple wire cage or mesh basket requiring birds to cling vertically while feeding, a posture favored by woodpeckers, nuthatches, and creepers. This clinging design prevents larger, non-clinging birds from monopolizing the high-energy food source, which is beneficial in colder months.
Nectar feeders are specialized for attracting hummingbirds and orioles, dispensing a sugar-water solution rather than solid food. These feeders use an inverted reservoir or a bottle-and-basin system that relies on a vacuum seal to prevent continuous liquid flow. A critical design feature is the inclusion of “bee guards” at the feeding ports, which are small plastic membranes that allow the hummingbird’s slender bill to pass through but block larger insects like wasps and bees.
Nyjer seed feeders, often incorrectly called thistle feeders, dispense the tiny, oil-rich Nyjer seed, a favorite food of finches like American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. Because Nyjer seed is so small, these feeders use either very small, restrictive feeding ports on a tube or a fine mesh sock material. The small port size prevents the seed from spilling out, and the mesh sock encourages finches to cling to the surface, a preferred feeding method for this group of small songbirds.