House finches. Photo: Robert So, Pexels
How to attract birds to your feeder
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Use black-oil sunflower seed, which draws the widest range of birds, hang the feeder near cover such as a shrub or tree (but 10 feet from squirrel launch points), add water, and give birds a few days to a few weeks to find it. Keep the feeder clean and full.
1. Start with the right food
- Black-oil sunflower seed attracts more species than anything else: cardinals, chickadees, titmice, finches, nuthatches.
- Nyjer (thistle) in a finch feeder for goldfinches.
- Suet in cold weather for woodpeckers and nuthatches.
- Skip cheap mixes full of milo and red millet; most birds kick them out onto the ground.
2. Put it where birds feel safe
Birds want cover within a short flight, so they can dart away from hawks. A spot 10 to 12 feet from a shrub works well. Keep the 3-foot / 30-foot window rule and the 10-foot squirrel rule from our pole guide.
3. Add water
A bird bath brings in birds that don't eat seed at all, such as robins and bluebirds. In winter, a heated bath is a magnet.
4. Be patient
A brand-new feeder can sit empty for days or even a few weeks. Scatter a little seed on the ground or on the feeder roof to help birds notice it. Once one bird finds it, others follow.
5. Keep it clean
Clean feeders every couple of weeks with soapy water or a weak bleach solution, rinse and dry. Dirty feeders spread disease, and moldy seed drives birds away. Camera feeders need one extra step: wipe the lens.
Tips for better camera footage
- Fill seed so birds land facing the lens.
- Remove nearby perches that let birds feed out of frame.
- Face the camera away from the sun.
Black-oil sunflower seed
The one seed to start with
- Draws the most species
- High fat for winter energy
Heated bird bath
Winter water
- Thermostat keeps it ice-free