Perches to Platforms: 12 Must Have Bird Feeders For Your Garden

To ensure that your bird feeding efforts are fruitful, there are four crucial factors that you must consider: selecting the appropriate food, utilizing the proper feeder, maintaining cleanliness, and finding an ideal location. By adhering to these basic guidelines, you can attract a variety of birds to your backyard, and relish in observing them while also ensuring they're healthy and happy. 

Having different types of bird feeders is an excellent way to accommodate the various needs and preferences of your feathered friends. Different bird species have different feeding habits and may require specific types of feeders to access their preferred food. For instance, platform feeders are ideal for ground feeding birds like doves, while tube feeders with perches are great for small songbirds like finches. Suet feeders are perfect for birds that prefer high energy foods like woodpeckers and nuthatches. By providing a variety of bird feeders, you can also minimize competition for food and reduce the likelihood of certain bird species dominating the feeding area. Overall, having different types of bird feeders is an effective way to enhance the diversity of bird species in your backyard and create a thriving, harmonious bird feeding environment.

Water is an essential element for birds, providing not only a means of hydration but also a refreshing spot for them to cool off and clean their feathers. By offering a shallow water source that is around 2 to 3 inches deep, you create a perfect spot for birds to bathe and drink. Additionally, water attracts bird species that may not be drawn to your feeding stations alone, such as insect eating birds that need to drink water regularly to maintain their high metabolic rate. So, by providing a water source in your backyard, you're not only benefiting the birds but also inviting a greater variety of feathered friends to your outdoor space.

Providing different types of bird food is a fantastic way to attract many different types of birds. Just like us humans, birds have different preferences when it comes to their diets, and offering a range of food options can increase the diversity of bird species that visit your feeders. For example, nectar will attract hummingbirds, while nyjer seed will bring in finches and sparrows. Suet is a favorite of woodpeckers and chickadees, and sunflower seeds are loved by many different types of birds, including cardinals, blue jays, and goldfinches. By offering a smorgasbord of bird food, you'll be able to enjoy a colorful array of birds right in your own backyard.