This Is The Right Place To Put Your Bird Feeder

Guarantee visits from some feathered friends with these tips.

In This Article
View All
In This Article
Close-up of a female American Goldfinch who has the birdfeeder all to herself in the backyard.
Photo:

Carol A Hudson/Getty Images

Having feeders for your birds is beneficial for everyone involved. You get to watch a vast array of magnificent bird species visit your backyard, and they receive a valuable food source that will provide them will energy to keep our ecosystems healthy and beautiful. To maximize the amount of visits from birds, there are certain places and positions to put your feeders that will entice them to come. While being able to view the birds is important, there are other necessities to be considered in order to keep the birds protected. Keep reading to find the perfect spot in your yard or garden for a bird population to flourish.

Where To Place A Bird Feeder

Close to Natural Shelter

The absolute best place to put up a bird feeder is somewhere close to natural shelter like shrubs, trees, and other vegetation. Birds will eat where they feel protected, so being surrounded by places to take shelter from hawks and other predators will encourage more of them to fly to your feeder.

With this in mind, it is recommended to avoid hanging a bird feeder directly from a tree branch, as this gives easy access to pests and squirrels that will drain your feed and deter the birds.

Safe Distance From Windows

Window collisions are a large leading cause in bird deaths around the country. The reflectiveness of the glass confuses birds and causes them to hit windows at high speeds that can cause critical or fatal injuries. It is recommended to keep your feeders either closer than 3 feet or farther than 15 feet away from a window to keep birds safe from crashing.

Somewhere You Can See From Inside

The best part about having bird feeders is getting to enjoy bird watching from the comfort of your own home. Be sure to position your feeder somewhere with good visibility from inside your home to maximize the view of your new avian visitors.

The Type Of Feed In The Feeder

There are a variety of bird feeders to put in your yard; from tube seed feeders to hummingbird nectar feeders to suet cakes cages, you can maximize your bird visits by placing each in their most beneficial positions.

  • Seed Feeders: Place these near brushy areas to make birds feel safe and allows for any fallen seed to be eaten by ground feeders like sparrows, towhees, and juncos.
  • Hummingbird Feeders: Place these somewhere that won't be affected by the wind; a swaying feeder could spill the nectar. Keep them away from direct sunlight to avoid the nectar from spoiling.
  • Suet Feeders: These feeders can be placed closer to trees since they are typically meant for woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Amount Of Time In The Sun

Depending on your type of feeder and geographic location, some should have less time in direct sunlight than others. Although birds will visit your feeder no matter the sun levels, putting your feeder in a shadier area is recommended if you live in an area with higher temperatures in order to preserve feed like seeds and nectar longer.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles