Matching Food with Feeder

If you’re new to feeding garden birds, you might well be wondering which type of food should be put in a particular feeder. It can all seem rather confusing and it’s not surprising that you’re wondering where to start. These handy pointers will help:

SEED FEEDERS

These are available in two options:

1 – Feeders with clear plastic tube-like containers with ports and perches

2 – Feeders with micro-mesh tube-like containers.

Both styles can be filled with all types of seed such as seed blends, nyger seeds and species specific seed blends.

FAT BALL FEEDERS

Large gauge ‘cages’ that can be filled with fat balls. Always use one of these for feeding fat balls and never put them out in a net.

PEANUT FEEDERS

These feeders are made with square gauged mesh or wire caging, allowing birds to peck at the peanuts, preventing them from swallowing large or whole pieces. Always put peanuts out in this type of feeder and never provide birds with access to whole nuts which are a choking hazard.

SUNFLOWER HEART FEEDER

Made with a mesh or wire cage with diamond shaped openings that are just large enough for the birds to access the sunflower hearts, but small enough to prevent waste.

MEALWORM AND SUET BITE FEEDERS

These can be made from a plastic tube-like container with ports and perches, or a micro-mesh tube-like container.

SQUIRREL PROOF FEEDERS

All types of bird feeders can be placed inside a squirrel-proof cage, or come complete inside one. They are a great deterrent to keep squirrels at bay, as well as large birds such as pigeons and jackdaws.

SUET CAKE FEEDERS

Square caged containers designed to hold suet cakes.

GROUND FEEDERS

Wire or mesh trays to put out feed for birds that prefer to feed from the ground such as wrens, robins and blackbirds. Some have a protective cage and roof to provide a safe and secure environment for feeding birds.