c/backyard-birding-tips

TIL that moving my bird bath actually brought in more birds

I always had my bird bath right under a big oak tree, thinking the shade would keep the water cool. After a month of maybe seeing one robin use it, I moved it about ten feet out into a sunny patch near some low bushes. Within two days, I had a pair of cardinals and a whole bunch of sparrows splashing around. I guess they felt safer being able to see all around them instead of being under a tree where a cat could hide. Has anyone else found that a small change in placement made a huge difference?

Decided to switch from a big feeder to a few small ones...

I had a big tube feeder that held 5 pounds of seed, but it got messy and only the big birds like jays and grackles used it. So last month, I swapped it for three small mesh sock feeders with just a cup of nyjer seed each. The change was quick... within two days, I had goldfinches and pine siskins visiting that never came before. It's way less seed waste, and I can move the socks around to different spots. Anyone else find that smaller feeders work better for attracting different kinds of birds?

Heard a neighbor say they wash their feeders with bleach, and it freaked me out

I was chatting over the fence and they mentioned using a full cup of bleach in a bucket to clean their tube feeder. That's way too strong and can leave residue that hurts the birds, even after rinsing. What's a safe cleaner you all use instead?

My neighbor said my birdbath was a mosquito farm, and he was right

He pointed out the still water in my shallow concrete bath last summer. I switched to a simple plastic one with a small solar fountain I got for about $25. The moving water stopped the bugs and now I see more birds, like goldfinches, stopping for a drink. Has anyone else found a good fix for keeping water fresh without a big setup?

I tried a cheap suet feeder versus a cage style one and the results were clear

Last winter I hung a basic plastic suet feeder next to a heavy duty metal cage one, both filled with the same woodpecker blend. The cheap one was empty in two days because starlings could perch all over it, but the cage kept the suet for almost a week and finally got the downy woodpecker I was hoping for. Has anyone else found a specific feeder design that really cuts down on the bully birds?

Pro tip: I put a shallow clay saucer on the ground for water, and a Cooper's hawk used it as a bird bath.

I placed a basic 14-inch clay plant saucer near my shrubs in Denver, hoping to attract sparrows with a ground-level water source. Instead, a juvenile Cooper's hawk landed and spent 10 minutes splashing around, which scared off every other bird for the rest of the day. Does providing ground water actually make your yard more dangerous for the smaller birds you're trying to help?

Just tossed a $40 'squirrel-proof' feeder after watching a gray squirrel dismantle it in under ten minutes.

What's a feeder that's actually held up for you guys?

Spotted a weird bird pattern at the Portland arboretum

I was there last weekend and saw a big group of robins, maybe 30, all moving together in the grass. They were not feeding, just hopping in a line like a little parade. Has anyone else seen robins act like this before?

Hot take: My $40 squirrel-proof feeder from last fall finally got its lid chewed off this morning, and I'm debating whether to buy a new 'armored' one or just accept that the squirrels won.

I watched a determined gray squirrel hang upside down for 15 minutes to pry the plastic lid off my 'baffled' tube feeder in Denver, so should I invest in a metal caged model or just start putting out extra peanuts for them on the ground to keep them away from the songbirds?

PSA: I used to think a single feeder was enough, but after a quiet winter in Madison, I switched to three different types.

Honestly, adding a suet cage and a platform feeder next to my tube feeder brought in woodpeckers and juncos I never saw before. Has anyone else had a specific bird show up only after you added a certain feeder?

My grandpa told me to stop raking under the feeder and I should have listened

He said the mess would bring more birds, but I kept cleaning it up for a whole year. Then I got lazy last fall and left the seed shells and leaves. Suddenly, I had towhees and juncos scratching around all winter, birds I never saw before. Has anyone else noticed more ground feeders when you leave a bit of a mess?

Just read that a chickadee can remember thousands of hiding spots for seeds, found it in a library book called 'The Genius of Birds'

My squirrel-proof feeder got a full raccoon family last night

So I'm in my yard in Cincinnati, watching the sunset. I hear this huge crash from the deck. My big tube feeder, the one with the weight lock, is on the ground. Not just tipped, but the whole pole bent. There's a mom raccoon and three babies just going to town on the spilled seed. I guess the lock only works for squirrels, not a 15 pound raccoon hanging off it. I had to wait inside until they left, then I brought the whole mess in. Now I'm looking at moving the feeder away from the deck rail and maybe getting a baffle for the pole too. Has anyone else had raccoons beat a weight sensitive feeder? What did you do?

TIL my neighbor thinks bird feeders spread disease, so she took hers down.

We were chatting over the fence yesterday and she said she read an article about salmonella outbreaks at feeders, so she removed hers completely. I'm torn because I love watching the birds but I don't want to hurt them either. Do you think the risk is big enough to stop feeding birds altogether?

Finally got a clear shot of the red-bellied woodpecker after a month of trying

Honestly, I had to pick between moving my feeder station or just buying a better camera lens. My old setup was under a big maple tree, which was great for shade but made every photo super dark and blurry. I saved up for about six weeks and got a basic 75-300mm lens instead of moving everything around. Tbh, the first few days were frustrating because I still couldn't get the focus right on the fast little guys. But this morning, I sat out there with my coffee before work and he landed right on the suet cage. I must have taken twenty pictures, and one of them came out perfectly sharp, you can even see the red patch on his belly. Has anyone else had better luck with changing their gear instead of changing the birds' spot?

TIL most people put their birdbath way too close to cover

I kept seeing birds fly down to my birdbath, then bolt away before taking a drink. My neighbor in Boise, who's been birding for 20 years, pointed out the problem. I had the bath right under a big lilac bush, thinking it gave them a safe spot to hide. He explained that birds feel trapped if they can't see predators coming from all sides. He told me to move it at least 10 feet out into the open yard, and it worked. Now I see robins and finches actually staying to bathe and drink. They need a clear view to feel safe, not just a quick escape route. Has anyone else found a better distance that works for shy birds like juncos?

Warning: My squirrel-proof feeder in Portland tipped over and spilled a week's worth of seed.

I was watching from my kitchen window when a big crow landed on the wrong side and the whole thing flipped, so I had to go out and rig a better anchor with a cinder block. Anyone else have a feeder that just gave up on the job?

TIL a lot of people are putting their bird feeders way too close to the house

I've been watching my neighbors set up feeders this spring, and I'd say 7 out of 10 are hanging them right on their deck or patio. That's a big mistake. Birds need a clear escape route from cats and hawks, and being right next to a window or wall makes them feel trapped. I moved my main feeder from 5 feet to about 15 feet from my back door last year, and the number of different birds I see, especially finches and chickadees, doubled in about two months. Has anyone else found a sweet spot for feeder distance that gets more visitors?

My $80 heated birdbath was a total lifesaver this winter

I live in Michigan and the regular bath would freeze solid in hours, so the birds had nothing. Bought this one with a built in heater and thermostat online last November. It kept a small circle of water open even during that deep freeze we had in January. Anyone else use one and have tips on keeping the cord safe from squirrels?

My brother-in-law called my bird feeder setup 'too clean' and it stuck with me

He was over for a cookout last weekend and pointed at my new feeder pole in the corner of the yard. He said, 'Birds like a little mess and cover, not a perfect little restaurant.' He suggested I let the grass grow longer under it and maybe toss some fallen branches nearby. I've always kept the area neat, but now I'm rethinking if that's actually better for the birds or just looks nicer to me. Has anyone else tried making a feeder area more 'wild' on purpose?

Showerthought: A shallow dish of water on the ground brought in way more birds than my fancy bath.

My elevated birdbath in Atlanta was getting zero action for weeks. I put a plain ceramic plant saucer on the ground near some bushes and filled it with an inch of water. Within two days, I had robins, cardinals, and even a shy brown thrasher using it. Has anyone else found ground-level water works better for certain species?

I thought the 'bird bath heater' thing was a total scam until this winter

For years, I figured birds could just find water somewhere else if my little concrete bath froze over. Then a neighbor in my building, who's been birding for ages, gave me her old $40 electric heater that sits in the water. I tried it for a week in January, and my yard went from zero birds to a constant crowd of juncos and sparrows. It turns out liquid water is a huge deal for them when everything is ice. Now I'm a believer, but I still see folks online saying heaters stress birds out or are a waste of money. What's the real deal, have you tried one?

Watching a crow at the Portland airport taught me to put my feeders way out in the open.

I saw it land on a bare patch of asphalt, look around for a full minute, then eat a fry, and now I keep my platform feeder in the middle of the lawn so the juncos feel safe enough to come down.

The day a Cooper's hawk turned my bird bath into a fast food drive-thru

Last Tuesday in my Charlotte backyard, a juvenile Cooper's hawk decided my bird bath was the perfect spot to pluck and eat a mourning dove. It was a messy scene for about an hour, and all the regular songbirds vanished. Has anyone else had a predator turn their peaceful setup into a nature documentary moment?

I put up a cheap plastic bird feeder from the dollar store and it attracted more squirrels than birds for a month straight.

I figured a feeder is a feeder, right? Wrong. The plastic was so flimsy the weight of a single squirrel would tip it and spill all the seed. I went through a 5-pound bag of black oil sunflower in a week, mostly feeding the ground crew. My neighbor saw the mess and laughed. I learned that spending a little more on a metal, weight-activated feeder saved me money and frustration in the long run. What's the worst feeder mistake you've made?