Bird Feeder Advice - Why Won't They Come?

[badger_net]

Hi,

I'm a newbie on here from Nottingham.
We've got some bird feeders in our garden about 5 weeks ago.
As yet we have had very few visitors.

I know there are pleanty of birds in the garden, they just don't to use the feeders. It is situated about 2m from the house.

Any ideas how long it could take for birds to get used to feeders and start using them?

It would be great if we could encourage birds closer to the house as then it gives the kids. At the far end of the garden we've had blue tits, coal tit, great tits, long tailed tits and robins just for starters.

Thanks
Badger_net

[nightshade]

What sort of cover do the birds have? They need to feel safe so will not
want to travel more than a metre or so to a sheltering hedge or tree

[coasty]

You need to experiment a bit.... I agree with last post also if there are cats about if there is cover for them near the table the birds will be very wary,,,

Sometimes it can take a week or two for them to get to move in.

[badger_net]

There is a Leylandi hedge that runs the whole length of the garden about 1m away.

We do get pleanty of cats though. I'll try and move it away fromt he house a bit and see how that works.

[Tursiops2]

Hi badger_net, welcome to the forum

Don't worry, it can take a while for birds to adopt a new food source.
Try putting up two feeding stations, one near the house, and one further away. Also, put out some water for the birds.

Speaking of water... a high-powered water pistol can be an effective, and safe, cat deterrent

T2

[Nutkin]

Originally Posted by Tursiops2

Speaking of water... a high-powered water pistol can be an effective, and safe, cat deterrent

T2

I second that - a few years ago there was a pesky cat who ran along the fence to try and get at the birds - the solution:

Blast it with a water pistol and the cat never came back

It doesn't hurt it though

[John]

Hi Badger_net

One question that hasn't been asked is what bird food are you using. I would suggest Sunflower Hearts to start with. Purchasing a few fat balls, or making your own mix, would also be another suggestion. Peanuts are another good attractor but never leave them out whole. You have to buy the mesh feeders for them, otherwise birds could choke on them.

As also suggested, water is a very valuable commodity for birds at any time of the year but just now, with these freezing temperatures, unfrozen water can become a premium.

Regarding where to put your feeder station. First thing I would suggest is the further away from the house the better. I know you want to watch them but the birds wouldn't really want to go near to a house if possible.

Have you any other vegetation in your garden apart from the Leylandi hedge. If you have place your station close where the hedge line meets other vegetation, the thicker the better. Your garden birds will always be under threat of predation from cats and also from Sparrowhawks so they want to feel safe, so they need to be close to cover at all times.

Once you have established that the birds are using the feeder station (over a period of time) then you may try moving it a little towards the house. Personally I keep mine away from the house and use my binoculars to watch them. It is great to watch our garden birds but remember they are not there for our amusement, they are there out of necessity and you must do what you can to protect both them and their food source.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

John

[aestarte]

Hi also once you start feeding birds, especially this time of year keep doing it, the birds then know where the food is and not have to waste energy looking for it. Enjoy. Fi. X X X X

[Alan G]

Agree with the earlier mention of Sunflower Hearts - its the only thing I've had success with in our garden - niger seeds & peanuts are never touched.

Also, bird numbers may still be low in gardens at the minute as there's still lots of natural food around in the fields and hedgerows are buzzing with feeding birds at the minute.

The best bet is to put the feeders somewhere close to cover and leave them - the birds will come once confident and then will hopefully include your garden in a feeding circuit, ie: somewhere they'll pop into regularly as part of their daily feeding habits.

[Goosegogs]

It took a while here for the birds to come to the birdfeeder, even though they had been visiting the garden. I give them fat blocks & balls, peanuts and a generic seed mix. Sometimes I give them a peeled apple (my mother does the same and it is gone within 30 minutes).