Which bird feeder do you choose?
Not every bird eats the same way. Tits prefer to peck at their food high up in a tree or shrub, while finches potter around on the ground in small groups. So with different feeding spots, you help more species at the same time.
Tube feeder
- Which food: Seed mix, unroasted and unsalted peanuts
- Where: Hanging in a tree or shrub
- Tip: The food stays drier, peanuts only belong in a tube feeder
Fat ball holder
- Which food: Fat balls without a net
- Where: Hanging, out of full sun
- Tip: The fat can go off in the sun
Window feeder
- Which food: Seed mix
- Where: With suction cups on the window
- Tip: Check every week that it's still firmly attached
Do jackdaws or pigeons keep emptying your feeding spot? A small cage around the bird feeder lets small birds through and keeps the big ones out. Your tits and sparrows then get a fair chance again.
The bird feeders from elho started out as plastic waste. Now they're made from recycled plastic, designed and made in the Netherlands using wind energy from the company's own wind turbine. In the Wildlife Gardening collection, you'll also find bird houses and fat ball holders, for even more life in your garden.
What do you feed birds in each season?
Birds don't have the same appetite all year round. If you change the food in your bird feeder with the seasons, they get what they need.
In autumn, birds get ready for the cold. Fat balls and peanuts give them extra energy then. Half an apple or a piece of pear goes down well too.
Winter calls for a hearty seed mix. Add fat balls and peanuts, and fruit is fine too. In light frost, put out a shallow dish of fresh water. In severe frost, leave the water out.
In spring, the parents argardene busy building nests and feeding their young. Mealworms are now a welcome source of protein. Crushed, well-boiled eggshells are a good source of calcium.
In summer, too, you can simply keep feeding. Choose food with insects in it and make sure there's always a dish of fresh water. Birds drink from it and love to bathe in it.
The very best thing is still a garden with shrubs and berry-bearing plants. The feeder is then a nice addition to what nature already offers.
Where do you place a bird feeder?
A hanging bird feeder is the easiest choice if you have a tree or large shrub in the garden. Tits like to sit there anyway, and they feel safe among the branches. Do hang the feeder in a spot where they have a clear view all around. That way they'll see a cat coming in time.
No trees? Then a bird table on a pole is a good solution. You can put it exactly where you can see it from your chair. Choose a quiet part of the garden, not next to the door where everyone walks in and out.
On a balcony or in a narrow garden, a window bird feeder is ideal. Clean the glass thoroughly first. The suction cups hold best on a dry pane. After that, you can look the birds straight in the eye from the sofa. Check every week that the suction cups are still firmly attached.
Clean and healthy feeding in six steps
Where lots of birds gather, diseases spread easily. With a clean feeding spot, you keep your visitors healthy. A few simple tips for this:
- Don't give too much. Only scatter what will be eaten before evening. Leftovers get wet and dirty, and attract pests.
- Brush out your feeder regularly. Throw away clumped seed. Clean a tube feeder every week with warm water and a mild soap.
- Keep the water clean. Ideally clean the drinking dish every day, and refresh the water at least once a week.
- Disinfect with boiling water now and then. Pour it over the feeding spot and into the drinking dish.
- Remove fat that has gone off. Does a fat ball smell bad, or is there a white or black layer on it? Then throw it away.
Is a bird sitting all puffed up and letting you come close? Then it's probably ill. In that case, stop feeding for two weeks, so the disease doesn't spread further.
Frequently asked questions about bird feeders
Can you feed birds all year round?
Yes, you can. Do match the food to the season. In the cold months, give mainly fatty food. In spring and summer, choose protein, such as mealworms.
What shouldn't you give birds?
Bread isn't a good idea, because it contains salt. Birds can't digest milk. Also leave out butter or margarine, as well as cooked leftovers that go off quickly. Peanuts are fine, as long as they're unsalted and not roasted.
Can a fat ball with a net go in the feeder?
No, always remove the net. Birds can get tangled up in the plastic. Hang the fat ball loose in a fat ball holder, out of full sun.
Do birds need water too?
Yes. They drink it and use it to clean their feathers. Put out a shallow dish and ideally clean it every day. In severe frost, leave the water out.
How do you keep big birds away from the food?
Big birds such as pigeons and crows struggle with a tube feeder. So if they're eating everything, hang up mainly tube feeders. A cage around the feeder helps too, because only small birds fit through it.
