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Perch cutting on a bird feeder

15 years ago

I have this tube bird feeder with perches:

http://shop.wbu.com/products/productdetail/WBU%20EcoClean%26%238482%3B%20Super%20Tube%20Feeder/part_number=3494/567.0.1.1.25206.25754.0.0.0?pp=12&;

The only problem is, I'm getting a lot of black birds, red wings and House sparrows on it.

What should I do to modify the perches so that only birds like goldfinches and chickadees can feed on it?

What tools should I use to cut and what length should the perches be? Should I remove the perch all together?

Featured Answer

HU-243961283

4 years ago

5/8" is sufficient to exclude house sparrows, but allow American goldfinches, lesser goldfinches, house finches, pines siskins, and other small birds. 1/2" excludes house finches, but allows very small birds like lesser goldfinches. I'm not sure if American goldfinches would be able to fit on these perches since they are larger. We don't have them in my area. I use a Dremmel with a 409 cut-off wheel to trim metal perches. I have found this to be an extremely effective way to exclude larger birds from eating all my Nyjer!

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Comments (6)

Konrad___far_north
15 years ago
Make sure your feeder can swing, house sparrows don't like swinging feeders, not sure about black birds I don't have them. I would think
Goldfinches & Chickadees could use a sock, thistle sock.
I have a upside down feeder and goldfinches and chickadees have been
feeding on it. I wouldn't cut the perches off totally, perhaps half the length, use a fine saw, like a hack saw, support the perch with something first, perhaps a pruner will cut it also if it's plastic, try on the very end first.
bandjzmom
15 years ago
Jiminy Crickets Jay! That is a really nice and really pricey feeder. You sure you want to cut it?? :o) Maybe you could just change what you are putting inside it? I'd make sure that there is no millet or milo whatsoever, and you could even try straight Safflower for awhile if need be. HTH ~~Angie
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donald lucius
15 years ago
mine are the walmart tube feeders with olastic perches. i used a hacksaw
and cut them to 3/4 inch long and it helped so i cut them t 1/2 inch and it stopped the starlings and red wings
donald lucius
15 years ago
i went into town today and stopped by home depot. not trying to push them except they had plastic tube feeders today on sale with ports you flip up for regular seeds and flip down for thistle seed. but the good part they were only $4 dollars so i got a couple i won't mind at all sawing on them at that price!
Nona Treutel
4 years ago
You should prepare foods such as sunflower seeds, which can attract many types of birds. You can also retrofit birdbaths, plant some shrubs to attract more birds.

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