10 Types of Bird Feeders You Need in Your Backyard
Updated: May 03, 2023You can never have enough bird feeders. Learn about the different feeders available, and make plans to add a new one to attract more birds.
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Suet Feeder
You can find many types of suet feeders, including the classic cage design or the cage attached to a vertical wooden platform, giving woodpeckers a place to prop with their tails. Suet feeders also attract nuthatches, chickadees, wrens and jays. Plus, check out these 41 really cute DIY bird feeders.
Peanut Feeder
Peanut feeders are usually shaped like a tube, which can be filled with out-of-shell or in-shell peanuts. Here’s how to make a DIY peanut bird feeder. But you can also find them in round, wreath shapes. These feeders have large holes, so the birds (and sometimes squirrels) have to work to get peanuts out. Blue jays, nuthatches, tufted titmice and woodpeckers particularly love peanut feeders. Plus, here’s how to keep birds from becoming pests.
Fruit Feeder
To attract orioles, tanagers, grosbeaks and catbirds, look for feeders that hold fruit like oranges, grape jelly and apples. These are great feeders to experiment with, especially in spring and fall when you’ll see the most migrants. Plus: Check out five ways to attract hummingbirds to your yard.
Sugar Water Feeder
Sugar water feeders are typically found in a few standard shapes, including glass bottle, tube and round dish. Whatever shape you choose, it will be a magnet for those glorious little flyers we call hummingbirds. Here’s how to make your own sugar water. Orange-colored sugar water feeders may also attract orioles.
Tube Feeder
Fill tube feeders with sunflower seed or safflower seed to attract many birds, including Northern cardinals, tufted titmice, house finches, chickadees, and grosbeaks. To deter squirrels and bully birds like grackles, look for tube feeders that have a weighted contraption that closes off seed access for larger birds and squirrels. Plus: This is what you should do if you find a bird’s nest in your yard.
Nyjer Feeder
Often tube shaped, nyjer feeders hold the special tiny black thistle seed that American goldfinches love. Some nyjer feeders are a simple mesh sock, while others are made with metal or solid plastic. You can even get nyjer feeders that are several feet long, holding dozens of goldfinches at a time. Try adding one of these 16 seriously cool birdhouses to your yard.
Tray or Platform Feeder
These types of feeders can hang from a hook or sit on your deck or the ground. In both cases, the feeding surface is completely open, so birds have plenty of space to land and eat.
Tray feeders are often used to attract larger birds like mourning doves, and ground-feeding birds like dark-eyed juncos. Look for feeders with holes or mesh on the bottom to allow for drainage. Some people who love squirrels even offer dried ears of corn on tray feeders. Or, you can always make a DIY squirrel feeder for these little animals to nibble from.
Hopper Feeder
The classic hopper feeder is usually covered with a roof and enclosed on all four sides. It’s common to find these feeders in the shape of a house or a barn. Sometimes you can even find options with suet feeders on either end. While they typically don’t deter squirrels, hopper feeders do protect seed from rain and snow. Larger birds such as woodpeckers, grosbeaks and mourning doves frequently visit them. Learn how to clean bird feeders.
Log Feeder
If you want a thrifty DIY project, take an old log and drill a few holes in the side. These holes are perfect for stuffing full of suet or peanut butter for the birds. Plus, the log gives woodpeckers, blue jays and nuthatches a built-in perch. Here’s how to choose the perfect bird feeder for your yard.
Mealworm Feeder
To attract bluebirds and other insect-eating birds like thrushes and wrens, offer live mealworms in a small glass dish or a domed feeder. Plus, here’s the best way to attract birds that don’t visit bird feeders.
