bird feeders

[news]

I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more... not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for. Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the pesky large blackbirds... thx

[SteveB]

Different feeders attract different birds. The tubular feeders with nyjer seed attract the smaller songbirds. The bigger birds won't mess with the tiny seeds and the tiny holes as much. Tubular feeders with small perches attract smaller birds that can land on the small perches.

Sunflower seeds are one of the best things you can put out. They will draw lots of pretty birds. I think you just have a time of year or a flock of blackbirds. Get a noisemaker to shoo them off, and try some smaller feeders. Try some suet blocks. You just have to try different things until you find what works in your area, and then that will vary from season to season. Go to rec.birds for a nice group that can give you good advice.

Steve

Steve

[Steveo]

You might try safflower seed instead of sunflower, I had the same problem and it seems like the black birds didn't care much for the safflower but the smaller birds enjoyed it.

[jthread]

We had the exact same problem with squirrels and large birds. We want to attract only small birds to eat the mosquitos. The link shows a picture of a feeder similar to the one we got that works well for that purpose. I wouldn't hang it though. Put it on a pole or attach it to something to keep it stable or the larger animals will knock it over to get the seeds out. We had a tubular feeder but the squirrels around here are clever. They would hang on it upside down and chow down.Funny to watch but bird seed is expensive.

I think the one we got was at HD. It's all green and comes with a pole attachment. Sorry, I'm too lazy to go take a picture of it. The trick is the hood. It helps keep the large birds out. If you hang it the birds/squirrels will bump it and cause the seeds to fall out.

[WaterBoy]

. you might also try a Humming bird feeder with No Foot-rests; other bird types can't sit on it, and don't stay

waterboy

[Tom J]

In 30 years of having them, I have never seen any other bird besides Hummers on our Humming Bird feeders with pedestals. Now, bees, different story.

Tom J

[SteveB]

IIRC, my friends in N. San Diego county have orioles that love sugar water.

Steve

[Tom J]

I live on the east coast. These Hummers are too agressage for other birds to come around.

Tom J

[Don]

I've resorted to using a big hammer a few times ... stop feeding them for a few weeks. The big birds move on, but the little ones seem to be based locally and hang around, or at least some like them reappear as soon as feeding resumes.

[z]

Try a change of bait; thistle seeds (they're not really thistle) little teeny black things; best with feeders with small holes, often just a relatively finemesh net bag that you need to replace once in a while. The little guys like them, the big guys don't. Squirrels don't either. They're not cheap per pound though, but after you factor in all the sunflower seed shells you had to pay for, it's not so bad.