With wild bird feeders in your yard, you can help to nourish a variety of bird species throughout the year while also having an up-close birdwatching view of them through your window or from your porch or patio. Win/win!
Our garden center provides a broad scope of quality bird feeders—and, setting up multiple types throughout your yard will naturally attract a greater diversity of wild birds. Here’s information about the benefits of having wild birds in your yard.
In general, feeders should be:
- Easy to assemble and set up
- Sturdy enough to handle winter weather
- Able to keep bird seed dry
- Simple to clean
- Able to keep squirrels out
Because different species are attracted to different types of feeders and food, you’ll want to make the right choices for your unique goals. To help, in this post, we’ll explore two main ways to distinguish wild bird feeders: by the
- Feeder’s structure/type
- Kind of bird attracted to this feeder
Questions? Stop by our retail garden center; contact us online; or call (631) 261-1148. Our experts love to talk about feeding birds!
Wild Bird Feeder Structures
Feeder types to consider include:
- House feeders
- Tube feeders
- Nyjer feeders
- Panorama feeders
- Window bird feeders
- Suet feeders
Here’s an overview of each.
House Feeders
Classically shaped like a house, you can suspend this structure on a bird feeder pole or mount it on the pole. Crafted from a range of materials, they typically have a tube that contains a few days’ supply of seed. If you’d like to attract a range of bird species to your backyard, consider this feeder type.
Tube Feeders
The name of this type indicates its overall structure: a tube. You’ll put your bird seed inside and, usually, this will draw smaller birds to the feeder. Some of these feeders include a perch above the port. If so, this allows birds to eat while hanging upside down, something that some but not all birds will do.
Nyjer Feeders
This feeder is often tube shaped. Birds can eat from small ports or, in some styles, through fine mesh bags. American goldfinches enjoy nyjer seed. So do sparrows, chickadees, woodpeckers, thrushes, and more. You may hear these wild bird feeders also called “thistle feeders.” A great thing about these feeders: squirrels aren’t usually interested in nyjer seed.
Panorama Feeders
Named after their panoramic structure, birds can easily feed from multiple angles on these circular perches. As a bonus, these bird feeding stations are easy to fill, clean, and otherwise maintain.
Window Bird Feeder
A window bird feeder can be ideal for family birdwatching. These feeders are usually made out of clear acrylic and attach to glass windows with suction cups. They allow an up-close and personal view of the species that will visit your window bird feeding station, allowing you to take wonderful photos from inside your house, year-round. If you don’t have a balcony or patio, this can be an especially good choice.
Suet Feeder
These specially designed feeders allow you to provide suet cakes to birds, a treat appreciated by a variety of bird species, including woodpeckers. Some versions allow you to hang the feeder on a bird feeder pole and some people like to hang them off of a tree.
Wild Bird Feeders By Species
If you’re looking to attract specific types of birds, here are two examples of wild bird feeders that fit the bill as well as insights into squirrel proof bird feeders.
Hummingbird Feeders
Perhaps you’re interested in creating a hummingbird garden. If so, include nectar feeders to provide the birds with the clear food they seek. Because you’ll want to keep the nectar fresh, you probably won’t need to fill up the hummingbird feeder all the way and you’ll need to change the nectar every couple of days.
When exploring hummingbird feeders, here’s an intriguing product to consider. You can select the Woodlink window bird feeder and then, when desired, convert it into a hand-held hummingbird feeder. The set includes two feeders, instructions for use, and a cleaning brush. With this, you can train hummingbirds to feed directly from your hand and get an up close and personal experience with these tiny birds.
Cardinal Bird Feeders
This panorama-style feeder can hold up to 2.5 of black oil sunflower seed, which is a highly popular food for cardinals and other backyard birds. It also provides a large feeding area that can hold up to 15 birds at once—making it perfect for cardinals.
If you prefer a tube-style wild bird feeder, this model is ideal for cardinals along with other types of birds. UV stabilized polycarbonate tubes are available in multiple sizes.
Squirrel Proof Bird Feeders
As you decide which feeders to use in your backyard, consider the squirrel. They will often try to get at bird feed and can damage and scratch the feeders (besides reducing the amount of food that gets to your feathered friends).
At Decker’s Nursery, we offer squirrel proof bird feeders, including this specially calibrated one that comes with weight sensitive perches. Smaller birds can feed with ease but, when a squirrel attempts to reach the seed, the perches will collapse under their greater weight. Plus, the tube is protected with a tight-fitting cap that squirrels can’t remove.
As another example, this squirrel proof bird feeder uses a spring-activated perch and a secure top to keep the critters away while making the seed supply readily available to the songbirds you love to feed.
Contact Decker’s Nursery for Your Wild Bird Feeders
No matter which feeder structures you prefer and no matter what wild bird species you want to attract, the experts at Decker’s Nursery can discuss your wants and needs to make recommendations. To browse our selection of feeders and other bird supplies and to ask your questions, please stop by our garden center or contact us online or call (631) 261-1148.