Where To Place Your Bird Feeders

The two most important things for you to decide when placing your bird feeders: Make sure you see the feeder and is the feeder in a safe location. Both of these factors are important in your decision. Protection of your birds from window collisions and predators is utmost.

Place feeders within three feet of your windows or farther than 30 feet from a window. This helps prevent window collisions, which kills at least 100 million birds every year in the United States.

Feeders should be close to natural shelter, such as trees or shrubs. These offer a resting area and a quick refuge from a hawk or other predatory birds. You do not want them too close to trees or bushes, because these can become jumping off points for seed-hungry squirrels and hiding places for bird-hungry cats. Ten feet is a great distance from trees or shrubs. Evergreens are perfect because their thick foliage buffers winter winds and offers ear-round hiding places from predators.

Hummingbird feeders need to be in an area where they are protected from wind. Swaying feeders tend to lose sugar solution. Also, these feeders do better in a shaded area to help prevent spoilage of the sugar water.

Happy Bird watching!

If you have questions about pet-care contact Dr. Norette L. Underwood of the Trumann Animal Clinic at catdoc56@gmail.com.