Bird Feeder Blues: Why Birds Abandon Feeders

The joys of feeding backyard birds are endless. From hanging up your first feeder and eagerly awaiting that first bird to arrive, to spotting a new species in your yard, to watching parent birds raise their young with help of the food you provide for them, feeding our feathered friends not only benefits our well-being, but also gives the birds a helping hand. During your backyard bird feeding journey there will likely come a time (or two, or three..) where bird activity comes to an abrupt halt. Though it may feel like you've been dumped for seemingly no good reason, there is typically an explanation and most with simple solutions.

A bird-savvy feeding station created using the WBU Advanced Pole System and hardware.

1. New feeder
You put out a new feeder, but where are the birds? The package has a picture of the feeder with birds swarming around it and it's been 2 hours already! Bird feeders are kind of a weird thing to a wild bird when you think about it. By nature, birds forage for food in trees, on the ground, in shrubs, wetlands, fields, etc. so it doesn't really make sense for them to seek out food coming from a plastic box. Be patient. It can take days for birds to start coming to your feeder, and even longer if you are the only one in the area offering food. If your feeder goes untouched for several weeks, then you may want to explore the reasons listed below to help you find the appropriate solution.

2. Dirty feeders
No one wants to do it. It's not fun, it can be time consuming, and sometimes it's just gross, but maintaining clean bird feeders is one of the most important things you can do for many reasons. Cleaning your feeders regularly (at least once per month) helps limit the spread of disease, bacteria, and parasites, helps keep seed fresh for a longer period of time by decreasing the chance of mold growth, reduces the risk of feeder malfunction, and increases the lifespan of the feeder. Click here to learn how to properly clean your bird feeders.

Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) and Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) eating oranges and BirdBerry Jelly.

3. Feeder positioning
Though it may seem as simple as buy bird feeder, fill with seed, hang outside, there are dos and don'ts for feeder positioning. You may have placed your feeder in a location where it is not visible to birds, or maybe too close to your house. Try moving your feeding station to an open area, but not too far from any trees or bushes where the birds may go to perch and survey their surroundings before going to the feeder. If you've recently purchased a new feeder, or simply moved the location of your existing feeders, it may take time for the birds to get used these changes, and you simply have to wait it out. Some feeder types such as finch feeders, generally do better if they are a distance away from other feeder types since larger birds may deter finches and smaller species from visiting a feeder.

Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) and Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) feeding on a popular Safflower Cylinder.

4. Food issues
Food issues are one of the main causes of feeder abandonment. The food isn't fresh enough, it's moldy or infested, it's the wrong type of food for the species in your yard, or you've changed the seed blend. To be sure you are offering fresh and safe seed, it is important to maintain clean feeders, and if seed sits in a feeder for 2 weeks or more, it's time to change it out for a fresh batch. WBU Barrie receives seed shipments once per week so you know your seed is fresh and hasn't been sitting on the shelf for long periods of time allowing it to go stale. Sometimes the seed you offer doesn't attract many birds because it is the wrong blend for your area. What we recommend in this case is to set up a feeding station (a tray works well for this) with a number of different foods such as sunflower seed, peanuts, safflower seed, millet, and Bark Butter or Bark Butter Bits. Observe the station for 2-4 weeks to see which species arrive and what foods they like best. Once you've figured out which foods do best in your yard, come in to the store to chat with a WBU Barrie Team Member and we will help you choose from our variety of seed blends. If you've added a new food, or switched your main seed blend entirely, it can take the birds some time to deem it as edible. If you plan on introducing a new seed variety (safflower for example - excellent for deterring squirrels & starlings!), start by mixing a little bit in to your regular seed mix to help the birds get used to the texture & taste of it.

American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) feeding on Echinacea seeds.

5. Seasonal cycles & natural food sources
While birds will dine at bird feeders year-round, there are certain times of the year when you will experience both high & low traffic. Typically you will notice feeders are at their busiest during bad weather, Spring migration, and nesting season, and their slowest when there is plenty of natural food available. Once flora and insects have emerged in the Spring, you may observe a drop in feeder activity. Birds instinctively know what natural foods their bodies need to keep everything in peak condition, and also know when those foods become available throughout the seasons. American Goldfinches, for example, nest much later than most of our native species to align their nesting season with the emergence of plants such as Milkweed & Thistle which occurs in June or sometimes as late as July. During this time it is likely that your finch feeder levels will drop much more slowly than earlier in the season, and it may be wise to shrink the portion size being offered to avoid having seed spoil and go to waste.

Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) perched near a feeding station.

6. Predators
One minute your feeders are booming with activity, and the next minute they're bird-less and left swaying in the wind. Typically when this happens it's due to the presence of a predator, whether it be a bird of prey such as a hawk, or a mammal such as a domestic cat. Often times it is a once-in-a-while occurrence that doesn't have much impact on the day-to-day activity at your feeders, but sometimes predators will make themselves at home in your yard which can cause the birds to avoid the area. While many people enjoy seeing raptors in their yards, it is understandable that you may not want to lure feeder birds in to essentially become someone's meal. Here are some helpful links with tips on how to deal with outdoor cats & birds of prey at your feeders.

7. Other

Maybe none of the above explanations apply to you, but the birds are still gone. There are many other factors to take in to consideration such as new construction around your home, increased human activity in your yard due to changing seasons, or local habitat loss. Any of these things can cause birds to abandon feeders until they can be sure the area is safe again, or flee the area entirely and search for new feeding grounds.

The most important thing we need to remember when it comes to wild bird feeding is just that... they are wild! Sometimes birds will come and go with no rhyme nor reason, despite our best efforts to attract them. Not knowing what to expect from one day to the next is what makes our hobby so exciting! So, if you are experiencing feeder abandonment, don't give up hope. Keep our tips in mind, patience in hand, and you will be rewarded with a plethora of your fine-feathered-friends once again. 🐦Also, check out our Problem Solving page all about "Empty Feeders" https://barrie.wbu.com/problem-solving-no-birds


Happy Trails!
- Shayna