Unpopular opinion: My cheap tube feeder was a total waste compared to a simple platform

I used a $15 tube feeder from the big box store for months and barely saw anything but house sparrows. Switched to a basic wooden platform feeder I built for under $10 in materials, and within a week I had a blue jay, two mourning doves, and a female cardinal. The open design just lets bigger, shyer birds feel way more comfortable. Anyone else find that simpler is better for attracting a real variety?

2 comments

2 Comments

oscar_hunt611mo ago

Yeah, I feel that. I dropped way too much on a fancy squirrel-proof one that just ended up being a fancy house sparrow diner. My cheap little tray feeder on a post is where all the good birds actually show up. Guess the joke's on me for overthinking it.

sage521mo ago

Try putting your cheap feeder up high and the fancy one somewhere less easy to reach.