I finally figured out why the sparrows were ignoring my new feeder

I spent three months thinking the birds at my place just didn't like the fancy hopper feeder I got from Wild Birds Unlimited. Turns out I was putting it too close to a bush where a stray cat liked to hide out. Moved it just 12 feet away last Tuesday and boom, had a house finch on it within an hour. Has anyone else had a feeder location totally mess with your bird count like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

claireg8118d ago

Oh have you tried moving it near a window that gets morning sun? That was my big breakthrough last year. I had a tube feeder hanging from a shepherds hook right in the middle of the yard and barely saw any birds. Then I shifted it about 15 feet closer to the house where the morning light hits it first and suddenly I got goldfinches, chickadees, and even a pair of nuthatches showing up within days. I also learned that putting it too close to the house was bad too, you need that 3 foot buffer zone they recommend. The light thing made the biggest difference for me though, especially during the cold months when they want to warm up while they eat.

wren97618d ago

I used to think it was all about the food itself or how clean the feeder was, you know? I had mine in a pretty open spot because I figured birds would want to feel safe from cats and stuff. But after reading your experience, @claireg81, I moved my feeder to a spot that gets solid morning light and it's like a switch flipped. Suddenly I'm getting juncos and these little brown creepers I'd never seen before. The 3 foot buffer rule makes sense too, never thought about that. You really changed how I look at feeder placement.