Bird Feeder

by Jake Bramante

As birders, we have that desire to look out at the feeders we meticulously put out and see it teeming with all sorts of birds. In addition to the chickadees, nuthatches, flickers, and House Finches, we hope for grosbeaks, goldfinches, and fancy sparrows. It’s easy, however, to be met with either a quiet feeder, or one dominated by House Sparrows, Eurasian Collared-Doves, or worse… the dreaded Fox Squirrel (dun dun duuuuun).

In the midst of this, many of us Flathead Audubon members have figured out solutions. Sometimes it’s the right seed in the right feeder while other times, it’s a special contraption to keep squirrels at bay. There are also considerations of keeping seeds dry, feeders clean, and clearing snow throughout the winter.

In October, we’re going to have a presentation to help you optimize your feeder for the most amount of birds in your area. The secret to the this presentation will be from you! If you have found a tip or trick that has really helped bring in certain birds or deterred others, we’d love to hear about it. Send an email to feeder@flatheadaudubon.org or go to flatheadaudubon.org/birds/feeder.

Examples include placing an old window screen as a platform (shown in photo), smearing peanut butter on tree bark, etc.