Window Bird Feeders Give You Closer Views of Birds
Updated: Jul. 15, 2022
Even if you don't have a big backyard with trees, you can still enjoy attracting and feeding the birds. We found the best window bird feeders.
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Even if you live in an apartment building or simply don’t have a yard, garden or trees, you can still enjoy the birds. There are window bird feeders you can put right on your windows with suction cups. “A window bird feeder can keep mealtimes interesting,” says wildlife artist Heather Bartmann of Fort Collins, Colorado. Her main visitors are house sparrows, but even the most common birds are fun to watch if you can observe their behavior up close.
Serve birds their favorite seeds in an acrylic window bird feeder if you are tight on space. Buy one with suction cups to attach to a pane of glass, and make sure it has tiny perches for songbirds. The small perches prevent bully birds, like grackles and pigeons, from gaining access to the seeds. You can also find window hummingbird feeders and suet feeders.
After all, one very important consideration when it comes to setting up feeders is yourself! The better your view of the birds, the more you’ll get to enjoy them. Ultimately, the best seat in the house is wherever you can easily see the birds.
And don’t worry—window bird feeders are not dangerous to the birds. To prevent bird strikes on windows, feeders should be within 3 feet or outside of 10 feet of all windows. Learn how to help a bird that flew into a window.
The Best Window Bird Feeders
Window Bird House Feeder
This plastic birdhouse shaped feeder attaches to the window to give you a clear view of the birds. It includes a small perch and two removable seed trays (for easy cleaning!), so you can offer more than one type of birdseed. A sloped roof offers protection from the rain.
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Large Platform Window Feeder
This heavy-duty open platform feeder will accommodate larger birds like mourning doves and even squirrels without falling down. It is handmade of durable red cedar wood with a mesh aluminum bottom for drainage.
Check out the best squirrel-proof bird feeders and 12 tips that work.
Kettle Moraine Window-Mount Suet Feeder
Try a window-mount suet feeder to get close-up looks at chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Two strong suction cups hold it firmly in place.
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Gray Bunny Window Bird Feeder
This is a simple and effective window feeder at an affordable price. This feeder may attract black-capped chickadees, northern cardinals, house finches and American goldfinches. The suction cups hold a strong seal and the feeder is easy to take down and clean. The clear acrylic material gives you (and your pets!) a front row seat to view your favorite feathered friends. Try filling it with sunflower seeds, mealworms, suet nuggets and more!
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Nature Anywhere Window Hummingbird Feeder
This is a traditional bottle hummingbird feeder with a twist—it attaches directly to the window with three industrial strength suction cups. The bottle is easy to remove from the metal bracket base for filling and cleaning. And it is guaranteed to never fall down.
We found the best sunflower seed bird feeders for your yard.
Aspects Jewel Box Window Hummingbird Feeder
If you prefer a saucer style hummingbird feeder, try this version that attaches to the window with a suction cup bracket. It includes a built-in ant moat tray that wraps around the feeder and a perch for the birds to rest. The feeder portion lifts out of the base for cleaning, and the lid is hinged for easy sugar-water refills.
Copper Window Mount Hummingbird Feeder
These tiny tubes are just the right size for tiny hummingbirds. Keep in mind that they will need to be filled much more often than a larger nectar feeder. We love the pretty copper perch that looks like a tree branch.
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How to Make a DIY Window Bird Feeder
Create a window shelf, a simple board nailed to the sill, “to enjoy the birds at very close quarters,” ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson urged 85 years ago in Bird-Lore magazine. After all, the benefits of bird feeding are for you just as much as for the birds.
“I attach a board to the window ledge and sprinkle sunflower seeds across it. The birds come to the makeshift feeder even with me watching. The key is nearby shrubs that offer the birds protection,” says Grace Huffman of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
If you have a deck railing or a patio, here’s a simple trick to see orioles and other fruit-eating birds up-close—just spear an orange half on a nail!
Next, check out the best blue jay bird feeders for peanuts.
Originally Published: July 14, 2022
