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| Baltimore Orioles feeding from WBU Feeders on Advanced Pole System |
1. Check the view
Make sure the location you choose for your feeders is the optimal viewing area for you to see the birds. This will be different for everyone depending on your home and yard, but try to decide based on where you spend the most time in your home. Personally, I have my feeding stations situated approximately 15' from my deck, and am able to view them easily from both my dining area windows & my office window. This set up gives me the opportunity to view my feeders from multiple angles and the distance allows me to sit on the deck to watch the birds without scaring them away. Some other things you may want to consider are avoiding areas such as patios, gardens, or pools, to help keep them free of debris from the feeders, and you'll also want to make sure you're able to remove your feeders easily for refilling and cleaning.
* Note for photographers: If you plan to take photos from your windows, keep the background of your feeding station in mind. Try not to place them where there may be structures or clutter in the background to help achieve clean shots at your feeding stations.
2. Keep close to safe zones
Before heading to their feeding areas, birds like to perch nearby to scan the area for any possible threats that may be lurking. They also need these safe zones to retreat to when inclement weather hits, or when predators enter the area so they can make a quick getaway and hide out until the coast is clear. Be sure to take this into consideration when choosing the right spot for your feeding stations. A perching area can be in the form of trees or shrubs, fences, or brush piles, anything they can safely sit on when they need to. You should also consider keeping your feeders out of areas where foot traffic may be high, or where pets roam, to try to minimize disturbance in the feeding area.
Before heading to their feeding areas, birds like to perch nearby to scan the area for any possible threats that may be lurking. They also need these safe zones to retreat to when inclement weather hits, or when predators enter the area so they can make a quick getaway and hide out until the coast is clear. Be sure to take this into consideration when choosing the right spot for your feeding stations. A perching area can be in the form of trees or shrubs, fences, or brush piles, anything they can safely sit on when they need to. You should also consider keeping your feeders out of areas where foot traffic may be high, or where pets roam, to try to minimize disturbance in the feeding area.
3. Keep birds safe from window collisions
One of the most important factors in deciding where you place your feeders is distance from windows. Window strikes kill billions of birds each year, and hanging your feeders at the proper distance can help save birds' lives. Keep feeding stations either less than 3', or more than 10' from windows to help deter strikes from occurring. When feeders are closer than 3', birds may still hit windows in a panic (ex. if hawk flies overhead) but can't gain momentum and are more likely to bump slightly and escape uninjured. When feeders are farther than 10', birds are given more space to flee without flying into windows in a panic. To further avoid strikes, you can "bird-proof" windows with strike deterrent markers such as Feather Friendly or Window Alert.
4. Squirrel prevention
Nothing can prevent squirrels from emptying your feeders better than a properly placed baffle, but even that won't stop them if they're able to jump clean over it. To avoid Super Squirrel jump-overs, position your feeding station at least 11' from from anything sturdy enough (tree, fence, house, etc.) from which a squirrel could leap and gain access. If you want to prevent squirrels from accessing squirrel proof bird feeders you can get away with a pole and baffle that is 7’ from any surrounding objects. The pole must also be tall enough so that all feeders stay above the top of the baffle, which should sit at least 5' high on the pole.
Nothing can prevent squirrels from emptying your feeders better than a properly placed baffle, but even that won't stop them if they're able to jump clean over it. To avoid Super Squirrel jump-overs, position your feeding station at least 11' from from anything sturdy enough (tree, fence, house, etc.) from which a squirrel could leap and gain access. If you want to prevent squirrels from accessing squirrel proof bird feeders you can get away with a pole and baffle that is 7’ from any surrounding objects. The pole must also be tall enough so that all feeders stay above the top of the baffle, which should sit at least 5' high on the pole.
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| American Goldfinches |
It can take a few (or more) tries to get your feeding stations positioned in just the right spot. If you find you aren't getting as much bird traffic as you'd like, try something different. Simply moving it back or to the side just a few feet, or adding a perching branch or two could make a world of difference! If you're finding after testing out a few different locations that the birds still aren't coming, you may be dealing with an issue other than feeder placement. Click here for more info on why birds have stopped visiting your feeders.
Happy trails!
- Shayna
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