uma306•18d ago

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?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_river18d ago

What about people who want to watch the birds up close though? My feeder is on my porch and I love seeing all the details.

the_sean18d ago

My cat and I have the same problem, @the_river.

maxm5010d ago

Ever hear about my buddy who put a feeder right outside his kitchen window? His cat would sit there for hours, tail twitching, watching the sparrows. Then one day a squirrel figured out how to hang upside down and just shoveled seeds into its mouth. The cat looked so betrayed.