Bird Feeder

EDIT - Ravisha: EYYWWWWW!

Hi M. - with standard bird feeders, it's come one come all. I dont know of any way to discourage the larger birds.

To attract the finches and other smaller birds, consider getting another bird feeder that is in the shape of a tube. They have short perches and smaller feeder holes down the tube. The bigger birds can't get into these as easily.

One way to save on bird food is to buy it in bulk like in a 25 or 50 pound bag.

Sounds like you have squirrels! They love bird seed. Is it down low enough to be eaten by deer? If it has pegs on it, big birds invite themselves to dine. It there isn't enough space to land, they get mad and leave.

Hi- I had this problem too. A friend at work told me to buy the thistle bird feed- skinny and black, You can get it at walmart- it attracts the most beautiful and colorful finches.

Hi M.,
Big day for you, your little boy started school!

Thistle feeders attract yellow finches. Also, if you stick to sunflower seeds, usually the pigeons and crows won't come around.

Good luck.

L.

We've had the same problem. We discovered that not only large birds were getting into the feeders... but also a squirrel... and a bear! So, we're not feeding the birds any longer. However, my grandmother who doesn't have a problem w/ bears attaches pie tins to the bottom of the feeder. It catches the birdseed. In the past... I have assigned different feeders to different birds. There is birdseed that is bird specific. For example, the large birds like peanuts. There is thistle for small birds (but I wouldn't recommend thistle because then you have weeds in your yard. There is song bird birdseed mix. Etc. The audubon society probably has other suggestions.

hi there- try changing the type of food you are putting in it, I have had the same problem you can also go to birds unlimited store by wellsfargo ont eh corner of college and horsetooth, they would know what to do for sure

Oh, I hope your son loved his first day of school!

What birds come to your feeder depends on a number of things - principally (besides what birds are in your area to begin with) what type of food you put out and what sort of feeder you have. Of course, the big boys will go after the food if they can - they're hungry, too!

There are feeders designed to be accessible to smaller birds only. You might want to stop in a shop that specializes in bird feeding to see what's available - just to get an idea (some of these getups are pricey). There are bird feeders available in catalogues and online as well.

Different birds like different food. The Wal-mart mix may be a common blend with sunflower seeds in it, attracting a variety of birds, large and small. It's economical and easy to find, but we've gravitated toward feeding our birds millet (those little bitty white seeds that all birds like) and safflower seeds (which a lot of birds like but squirrels don't). We buy them in bulk at a feed store - it's perhaps a little more expensive than a discount store, but there is less waste because we aren't putting out any filler.

(We also have a large squirrel community in our neighborhood, and finally decided to feed the squirrels at the other end of the yard to give the birds a chance! We feed them ear corn, sunflower seeds, and apples.)

If your family really gets interested in this, you'll find many different kinds of feeders, because some birds like their food in hanging feeders, some on "trays," and some on the ground. We have put out suet balls and peanut butter in the winter for birds and squirrels both. Eventually you and your children will get to know what birds are what, and then you'll want a bird book and some binoculars. It can all become a whole lot of fun!

The advice to keep the bird seed outside is very good. It is packaged according to different standards than people food, and it can have bugs in it. If you store it in a close-covered metal container, perhaps in your garage, you'll do a little better on that head.

M.,
There are feeders specifically made for the smaller birds. They have a smaller tube inside a larger one. The little birds can get through the outer tube mesh, but the larger birds cannot. They may be more expensive, but it's worth it, and maybe you can find one at a garage sale!

As far as getting them to eat less, good luck. My suggestion would be to pick a day of the week to fill it and leave it at that. They may run out before you fill again, but there is plenty of wild food at this time of year, so they won't have problems. Or getting that larger feeder may mean you need to fill less often. Remember that you may be feeding this year's new youngsters and those species that migrate are bulking up for the trip. As the season progresses, they will all be eating more. Also, more birds may have learned about your feeder than knew about it previously. Bird feeding is not necessarily an inexpensive hobby, especially if you want your feeders full all the time.

Good luck and enjoy our feathered friends!

Word got around the bird world about the free dinner you were offering -- so more birds are now visiting your feeder. The only way to make the food last longer is to make sure you're only feeding the birds you want (the smaller ones). To keep the bigger birds away make sure your bird feeder has perches and openings that are only suitable for smaller birds.

I love bird feeding too! We have a cage from Wild Birds Unlimited that fits around the feeder and keeps the larger birds away. This helps make the food last longer. Also, if you buy a no-mess blend you will find the food lasts longer because there is no shells or other non-edible stuff mixed with the food. It is more expensive, however, so that might be a drawback. Watch carefully to see if the birds are digging through the seed. Sometimes with the cheep food, they actually just throw the stuff they don't like on to the ground in order to dig out the parts they do like. Humm...sort of like my toddler. But that really does make the food go faster too. If you don't mind investing in a new feeder, you could get a thistle feeder. Those only fit the smaller birds, and the thistle feed seems to go much slower.

Good luck and happy bird watching!

bird feeders are one of my favorites too! but don't store food in your house because it comes with these little moth like creatures that can take over your home. from your kitchen to the clothes and they git into my popcorn ceiling and made cacoons that turn into magget likt like and then new moths. especially when you buy it in bulk.

Bird feeders are so much fun! Most likely the reason the food isn't lasting as long now is because the birds have found it and have "spread the word". Which is good and bad - good because it means you are buying what they like and getting a lot of birds, bad because you are feeding an army of feathered friends! Buying in bulk is an idea, but you'll still be going through the same amount in the same time frame, you'll just have more in reserve to put out.

As far as keeping big birds out, the best way to do it is modify the feeder you have. It's almost like making a fence around the feeder. I'm not sure if this will work on you feeder but just in case... Go to your local hardware store (or possibly craft store) and buy the small dowels - enough to put a 3" piece every 3/4 - 1 inch the entire way around your feeder. When the pieces are cut you have two options. You can drill into your feeder (if it's wooden) and then glue the pieces on, just skip the drilling and just glue. You'll want to pull the feeder inside, empty and clean it before hand. Once you have the pieces attached you'll need to leave the feeder inside for at least overnight to make sure the glue is set. Then refill and put it back outside. The smaller birds will get used to the "fence" and keep right on feeding, while the bigger birds will attempt to feed and find out they can't perch or get food. They might still come around and feed on the seed on the ground, but they should leave the feeder alone.

Good luck!

You didn't say if you have noticed squirrels on the feeder. Someone else mentioned feeding safflower which is what we feed, along with sunflower seed but it a feeder that closes if something large gets on it. Try looking for safflower. I see you're in Castle Rock. I buy safflower from a store called Wild Birds Unlimited. I think they only have stores in Westminster and Thornton but I'm sure you can find it somewhere else.

I'm not sure exactly what kind of bird seed to use, I don't think it really matters to squirrels and large variety wild birds (they'll usually eat anything!), but I know you can get bird feeders that have a "cage" surrounding them. The large birds (and usually squirrels, though some are trickier than others) can't get in and eventually stop trying, but the holes in the cage are just large enough to let the little birds in.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Thistle seeds! If your feeder has large holes, they might fall out (a little duct tape might solve that). The millet is yummy for them, but I had a huge problem with all the millet seeds sprouting under the feeder and creating tons of weeds I had to pull up. If you have cement or something under the feeder, you'd be fine with millet.