best ways to attract birds?

13 years ago

I just moved to upcountry South Carolina from an urban location in Indianapolis. I *always* had lots of birds at my feeders there, but now that I live in a rural location, bordered by woods on two sides and only one neighbor, I thought I'd have even MORE birds.

This weekend, I put out three feeders in an already-existing cluster of clearly-used birdhouses. They're the long cylindrical kind and are hanging from hooks about a foot off the main pole that supports the bird houses above. Then I hung a feeder off our deck...and put up a big feeder that looks a bit like a miniature trough for pigs (six little bird "stalls" on each side) that is on its own pole (about 6 feet off the ground). The birdseed is new and contains lots of sunflower seeds, a specific mix for wild birds. The bird feeders have sheltering trees all around and are several yards from our house. They're all recently cleaned, and two of them are brand new.

So why haven't I had a single bird at any of the feeders?? I've SEEN wildlife here...wild turkeys, ducks, geese, deer, lizards, hawks, squirrels, and lots of little flitting birds that I can't identify yet. But I had such high hopes for my feeders. I haven't seen a single bird there and it's been days!

How can I better attract birds to my feeders? I would love any advice.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

jadeite
13 years ago
Your setup looks fine to me. If it's only been a few days, be patient. Even after the birds find your feeders, they are cautious. I posted a similar question when we first hung up our feeders last summer. It took a month or two but now we refill the feeders one or twice a day. We buy our seed in 20 lb bags, and I make suet cake in 10lb batches. Each season brings new species, while some old friends migrate away.

Cheryl
bosewichte
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks so much! That makes sense...I guess I'm just eager to bring the birds around! :)
Related Discussions
Viburnum or Aronia for Bird Attracting?
Q
Comments (3)
Sounds like you are doing just about everything right - except positive marketing of the 'Donald Wyman' fruit. Need some different birds, maybe. As far as your shrub choices, those are all good for fruit/foliage/fall color. They differ dramatically in form, however. **The Aronia arbutifolia is quite leggy and always appears to me to be having a bad hair day. In fall color, it is great - and its red winter fruit display is fabulous and long lasting. **Arrowwood Viburnum is steadfast and tough. It will set blue fruit in midsummer, which birds scarf up before fall. Most forms have a mix of yellow/orange/red fall color which doesn't dazzle. You'd have to narrow the field to a select few to guarantee that autumn show of brighter reds/oranges. Arrowwood is generally pretty big, as well, typically 8-12' tall and wide. **Viburnum nudum is a great species, and there are several fine forms to use. It forms a broad rounded mound for me, always has glossy summer foliage and mostly long lasting burgundy fall color - though some selections can develop reds/oranges/pinks/yellows within their range. The stellar gradations and evolution of fruit colorations never fails to please - this unmatched but by a few plants. Expect this plant to reach 8' as well. If you weren't already aware, plan to plant at least two different clones of the viburnums in your group of three, to ensure heavy fruiting. Viburnums are typically poor at self-pollenizing - but great at cross-pollenizing. So (for example) if you choose V. nudum, plant 'Winterthur' AND 'Brandywine' in the grouping. If you plant all 'Winterthur', expect poor fruit set.
...See More
Attracting Insect Eating Birds
Q
Comments (4)
Elms might be a good choice for attracting insect eating birds. I had some at my previous house, warblers were attracted to them during migration. Some kind of tiny caterpillars would attack them during the summer, and cedar waxwings would feed on them. I noticed phoebes returned here, too - saw a couple by railroad bridges over a creek, assume they are nesting under the bridges.
...See More
Best way to attract nesting Song sparrows in suburb garden?
Q
Comments (4)
I think the problem might be that song sparrows (at least on my property) seem to like the same type of shrub that house sparrows like. In my experience, the song sparrows like trees and deciduous shrubs as opposed to evergreens. They definitely like less tidy spaces.......but then so do house sparrows! Wish I could help you more. Good luck. P.S. Do you feed the birds? I've learned to never have millet in any birdseed I put out, since they like it so much. Actually, I quit feeding the birds because of a coon problem, and I have lots less house sparrows around.....so you might consider stopping birdfeeding for awhile.
...See More
Best way to identify a bird
Q
Comments (8)
If you have an iPad or iPhone you will not find a better app for birding or for that matter book than Ibird pro. I literally use it to call in birds to my house. I can call in several types easily using that app and a monster blue tooth speaker. For example I had several Pileated woodpeckers at my old house but hadnt seen one here at my new place. I put the call out several times one day and nothing. But the next morning there he was in all his glory eating worms at the base of a tree in the yard. Since then I go out every few days and call him and his mate to the yard just for a flyover and a peek. I can do the same with doves, titmouse, red bellied woodpeckers, and the list goes on. The calls are actual calls of the birds. As for identification you just put your state and then what you seen and it will narrow your birds. Highly recommended it. It covers every detail of the bird and allows you to just select what you saw, like color size location and then it will give you results for you to pick what you saw. You can also favorite your birds to easily call them up later and make notes on when and what you saw,
...See More
eric580
13 years ago
I would move the house further away from the feeders so blue jays don't raid the nests of other birds. Also starlings would do that.
jpl60
13 years ago
I have recently restarted an interest in bird feeding here in NE Arkansas.I had a tray feeder on a PVC pole avoub 6 ft. of ground. Once in a while one of my wiley house cats would be seen swinging from tray with one paw trying to get down and still keeping his 'cool'.That sort of put a damper on ti for a while.I went to a higher feeder .Having to get a tall step ladder every day is worth knowing the silly cats are NOT going to disturb my bird feeding program(oilers right now).Maybe you have a wiley feral or Bobcat in neighborhood? I also lack of hard cold snaps here in Arkansas do not get birds in a feeding frenzy like they would when I lived in Michigan.
connie_in_western_nc
13 years ago
Water...have clean water available. In the long run, it's more of an enticement than the feed.
domino123
13 years ago
Placing feeders too close in proximity to the bird houses is going to deter birds from nesting there -- too much activity and will attract predators.

I would place these feeders completely separate from the nesting boxes.

House sparrows will also raid the nests and destroy nesting sites (for example, Robins nest).
eric580
13 years ago
Don't forget to provide nesting material too! It will encourage birds to nest in the houses. Also some birds like a layer of sawdust in their boxes. Adding native plants to your yard is probably the best thing to do. They will bring in birds that don't eat seeds by providing insects, nectar, and/or fruit. Do some research to find out what plants are native to you area.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
13 years ago
Way overcrowded! The nesting boxes need to be isolated from anything else AND from each other. The feeders shouldn't be so close to each other, either.

I agree that a bird bath very attractive to wild birds. Put it in a location where it will be easy to keep clean and filled.
domino123
13 years ago
Just a suggestion for a bird bath - rather than using a typical bird bath where the water sits stagnant, birds are attracted to fountains. If you can purchase a fountain style bird bath, all you need to do is purchase a small fountain pump if it doesn't already come equipped. I change the water daily with a hose.
JamesEubank
13 years ago
Yeah its pretty good suggestions written. I owns a parrot that really need careful environment like that...
Thanks for the knowledge...

best ways to attract birds?

Comments (10)

jadeite

bosewichte
Original Author

Related Discussions

eric580

jpl60

connie_in_western_nc

domino123

eric580

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

domino123

JamesEubank

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

best ways to attract birds?

Comments (10)

bosewichteOriginal Author

Related Discussions

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

bosewichte
Original Author