When I decided to get some bird feeders, I really didn't put a lot of thought into it. I just went to Walmart and grabbed a bunch on inexpensive feeders. My main criteria at the time was cost, perceived effectiveness to attract birds, and ease to use.
I ended up buying 1 hummingbird feeder in the traditional red and clear plastic, 4 plastic tube type of seed feeders, and 3 suet wire feeders. Grand total was approximately $40, not including feed.
I started off attracting some interesting species: chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, cardinals, house finches, hairy woodpeckers and a red-bellied woodpecker. Before long there was lots of activity on the feeders with the addition of cowbirds, mockingbirds, English sparrows and squirrels. Lots of squirrels.
English sparrows would come in droves and often drove away the smaller species; the cowbirds did the same. They came in large groups, sometimes 20 or more sparrows and often a dozen or more cowbirds. They did some eating.
The squirrels ran everyone off when they would come. Well, except for the mockingbirds who often would give the squirrels fits and drive them off for a while, but they would return. When they did, the would spill a lot of the seeds out onto the ground. After a while, they began to chewing the plastic feeders until all of the seeds would leak out onto the ground.
Before the squirrels ruined the feeders, I was going through 20 or more pounds of seeds a week.
Well, it was time to make a change. I decided to upgrade the feeders and see if I couldn't put a damper on the squirrels. I didn't want to get rid of the squirrels but I wanted to prevent them from taking over and ruining the bird feeders.
I bought 2 nice seed feeders with wire squirrel guards, 1 large metal feeder with recessed opening too small for squirrels, 1 squirrel baffle for a shepherd's hook; and a large feeder on a stand with a squirrel baffle, 2 small bowl feeders, and a nice easy to fill seed feeder. Total cost was about $130.
So what was the result? A tremendous drop in activity at the feeders. The squirrel guards (wire net with large openings) stopped the squirrels immediately. It also prevented larger species of birds from feeding including the English sparrows and cowbirds. An unexpected bonus. However, it also made it more difficult for the mockingbirds and cardinals.
Actually, it took a couple of days before the titmice and chickadees were comfortable with the new feeders. They would perch on them but were reluctant to go through the openings. That did not last long. In a couple of days, they moved in and out freely. Same with the chickadees.
I have been putting soft cat food pellets in one of the cups of the Audubon feeder and have had some activity with a hairy woodpecker and the mockingbirds. In the other cup, I have added a seed mix that includes larger seeds and sunflower seeds. This has brought back the cardinals, but has not seemed to have influenced the English sparrows or cowbirds.
One missing species has been the house finches. I had not seen many of them lately as opposed to a couple a months ago when they were one of the most common diurnal visitors. Lately, I have only seen one female feeding. I do not know if the change in feeders has kept them away. I will have to watch for them and see if they are having trouble with the size of the openings. I do have one feeder that they should be able to use, but actually no one is using that one right now. I am not sure why not.
While my overall activity on the feeders is reduced, the "quality" has increased. I really did not enjoy the English sparrows or the cowbirds. They are mostly gone now.
I feed the squirrels a combination of corn and a few sunflower seeds. Plus, I hand feed them fruit and peanuts in the shell.
I realize this is a bit of a strange note about "nature", but the feeders are one aspect of my enjoying the outdoors and the creatures in it. Pardon my indulgence with such trivial observations.
Michael is a former biologist and Texas Master Naturalist. Originally from Newsome, Texas (Between Pittsburg and Winnsboro), educated in Dallas & Garland schools, then off to the University of Texas system where he received a degree in biology and worked as a biologist with the University of Texas system. After many years away from nature and biology, he relocated to the banks of Lake O' the Pines where he has been rediscovering the joys of nature. He is somewhat surprised that he has become a birder. Most of his interest in nature was centered around reptiles. Perhaps just like birds evolved from reptiles starting in the late Jurassic, he has begun his own evolution. During his formal education, his interests in biology/nature grew to include community ecology and population studies, all with a binding of evolutionary processes. He liked birds, but they were secondary at best. All at once he finds them fascinating.
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