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Preferred feeder (1 Viewer)

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Elizabeth Bigg

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The two long feeders on the photo are used for sunflower hearts at the moment, and the birds always empty the left hand (Droll Yankee) feeder first. The right hand one is just a cheapo from a Garden Centre. Any ideas as to why there is this preference - could they be more comfortable sitting sideways on to the the port?
 

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Do you have large numbers of Greenfinches/sparrows using your feeders? These species seem less adapt at feeding at those feeders without convenint perches, thus would naturally empty the easiest first, before moving onto the latter. My experience is tits, nuthatches, etc, use either type of feeder in equal measure, but the (typical ground feeding) finches and sparrows prefer not to do too many acrobatics when alternatives exist :)
 
boyinthebush said:
Could it be more to do with position and therefore which one they feel safer from predators on?
Click to expand...

They are positioned that way round so that the heavier one is on the left - you can see that the pole is leaning to the right. I'll try to adjust things, and change them over.
 
Elizabeth Bigg said:
The two long feeders on the photo are used for sunflower hearts at the moment, and the birds always empty the left hand (Droll Yankee) feeder first. The right hand one is just a cheapo from a Garden Centre. Any ideas as to why there is this preference - could they be more comfortable sitting sideways on to the the port?
Click to expand...
Hi Elizabeth, i think comfort is more to do with it than safety. have you seen the new feeders from CJwildbird foods? with the rings instead of perches, i orderd 2 last month and am still waiting for them as they are so popular.
bert.
 
I've just refilled the two hearts feeders, and swopped their positions - I'll report back later. I don't usually refill them until they are empty, unless I am going away, so that food is not left at the bottom to become stale.
 
bert said:
Hi Elizabeth, i think comfort is more to do with it than safety. have you seen the new feeders from CJwildbird foods? with the rings instead of perches, i orderd 2 last month and am still waiting for them as they are so popular.
bert.
Click to expand...
Bert raised the matter of the new range of ring-perch feeders, which enables the birds to have their meal in comfort. In other words they no longer have to sit sideways at the meal table. This is said to provide a faster intake of food, meaning more birds get a chance to feed, and we spend more cash in replenishing. Clever marketing idea. Let us know how the new feeders get on Bert. I may make my own modification instead of buying a complete new feeder. There were no complaints from today's diners by the way!
 
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Kenny said:
Bert raised the matter of the new range of ring-perch feeders, which enables the birds to have their meal in comfort. In other words they no longer have to sit sideways at the meal table. This is said to provide a faster intake of food, meaning more birds get a chance to feed, and we spend more cash in replenishing. Clever marketing idea. Let us know how the new feeders get on Bert. I may make my own modification instead of buying a complete new feeder. There were no complaints from today's diners by the way!
Click to expand...
Hi Kenny, yes i will let you know how the feeders go on. I did not have to buy either of them as i got vouchers for cjbirdwild birdfoods, from articles printed in birdwatching mag. not being tight !! but free is better;)
bert.
 
prefered feeders

Hi Elizabeth
My local birds, mostly sparrows, greenfinch and tits, seem to be different.
One of my feeders is a two level one, like the top left one on your thumbnail. They never feed at the lower level??
For interest last Monday, when the seed level dropped to the top holes, I left it like that. No bird has visited it since.
This morning, Sunday, I emptied the feeder and refilled it to the top. Lo and behold the birds are feeding there agan, top only !
Birds, like bees, do nothing invariably.
Jim
 
Hi Jim - when natural food gets scarcer in the winter, make them wait till they've emptied the feeders. Be firm with them - they should soon learn, unless your neighbours all offer food.

Seriously though, as I said above - I don't usually just top them up, because this can lead to food at the bottom getting very stale. When we had our 72 siskins in the winter, I had two 14" niger feeders for them, all the perches were in use at the same time, with a waiting queue and birds collecting spilt stuff on the tray underneath and on the lawn!
 
bert said:
Hi Elizabeth, i think comfort is more to do with it than safety. have you seen the new feeders from CJwildbird foods? with the rings instead of perches, i orderd 2 last month and am still waiting for them as they are so popular.
bert.
Click to expand...
Hi Bert
I got my new ring-perch feeders from CJ Birdfoods last week. The birds love them, its costing me a fortune in sunflower hearts...
I have had 7 greenfinches, 3 adult goldfinches & 5 fledgling goldfinches, Great tit, Blue tit, Robin & numerous Sparrows, Starlings & Collared Doves today.
 
Suzie said:
Hi Bert
I got my new ring-perch feeders from CJ Birdfoods last week. The birds love them, its costing me a fortune in sunflower hearts...
I have had 7 greenfinches, 3 adult goldfinches & 5 fledgling goldfinches, Great tit, Blue tit, Robin & numerous Sparrows, Starlings & Collared Doves today.
Click to expand...
Hi Suzie, aren't you the lucky one!!! i am still waiting for my feeder's. Would you credit that i ordered these feeders on the 14th JULY!! and am still waiting, i have had a few choice words with said firm, and at last they are going to sort it out, inbetween they have sent me a 10kg bag high-energy no mess seed as an appology. So i now await the next post ahhhhhhh.
bert.
 
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