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The Bully Breeds are dominating my feeders (1 Viewer)

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Paul_Barrett

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Hi, this my first post. I live in Northumberland in the UK.

I provide a range of garden feeders for different species. In previous years we have seen good numbers of siskins, green finches, gold finches, tits, woodpeckers, red polls etc but this year they have al vanished and the feeders are dominated by just three bully breeds - sparrows, starlings and jackdaws who are eating me out of house and home.

I can't believe that there has been a population drop in every one of the tits and finches, and I conclude that what I am seeing is bullying behaviour driving them out.

I have read other threads on here and one recommendation is to take the feeders away so that the bully breeds disperse and stop guarding them against other breeds. My question is, how long will this take? I was recently away for a week. On my return I refilled the feeders, and within minutes of that the bully breeds were back.

Incidentally, I have sympathy for the view that sparrow and starling pops have slumped and they need supporting to but I am not happy to do that at the expense of all the other breeds.
 
You will never be able to choose which birds eat what, so get used to it.

I have a similar problem, just substitute Magpies for Jackdaws.
 
I had the same problem with pigeons, jackdaws and crows. Within 30 minutes of me refilling the feeders, it was all gone.

I solved the problem by placing "cages" (2 hanging basket frames) around the feeders which allowed the smaller birds to feed whilst keeping out the larger ones. I also placed feeders at various places in the garden.

Although I still get a lot of starlings (which I do not mind) this seems to work. The smaller birds get a chance to feed and the food that drops to the floor gets picked up by the bigger birds.
 
grobble said:
You will never be able to choose which birds eat what, so get used to it.
Click to expand...

Well that's not strictly true is it. I have taken some steps to limit access. e.g A Niger seed feeder for the tits and finches and a caged suet ball feeder as well as a caged seed feeder, and I have removed the other plastic tube seed feeders.

Already the jackdaws have given up and so have most of the starlings. I am only left with one remaining bully breed - the sparrows - and even their attempts seem to have reduced substantially.

And I saw a coal tit in the suet ball cage feeder - the first in a long time. So fingers crossed.

I have a separate area of the garden where I can feed the starlings and jackdaws and I will get that going once the small birds area is well established.

I'd still welcome any tips from people who have been here before.
 
What works well for me is having feeders with different accessibilities, largely depending on size. The larger birds don't seem to worry about what's happening at the feeders they can't use; in fact, they are rather more nervous than the small birds, perhaps because there are avian raptors in the area and the larger birds know they make the better meals.
 
Ruff said:
What works well for me is having feeders with different accessibilities, largely depending on size. The larger birds don't seem to worry about what's happening at the feeders they can't use; in fact, they are rather more nervous than the small birds, perhaps because there are avian raptors in the area and the larger birds know they make the better meals.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea. I will give that a try. Currently the only feeders out are ones that are type specific and I noticed today that while I haven't seen the birds in question, the Niger seed feeder is one third empty
 
Currently dominating my garden are around half a dozen juvenile Magpies.

There was an interesting battle with a pair of fox cubs that lasted about half an hour. Both sides being equally clueless there were no winners.
 
Paul_Barrett said:
We had a woodpecker on the peanut feeder today - female. She was around for several minutes. So that's good. :)
Click to expand...


Interesting that they also occupy the birdfeeders in GB.

What kind of woodpecker was it? At my place it is the great spotted woodpecker who likes the feeder and its contents. The green woodpecker prefers another diet.
And the black woodpecker I haven't seen or heard for years.
 
We had a massive prob with a Great Spot two years ago here in Russia.

This individual took ownersgip of the whole balcony, would swoop up and down furiously. This went on for a week and came to a head when he killed a Great Tit. We contrived a simple trap, caught him and relocated him.

This was extreme behaviour by an extreme individual and most GSW will come and go with no bother. We now have a regular pair, the male will come and take mouthfulls of seed to take to his young and we got some lovely photos last year when he brought his whole family to the feeder.

As will people, indiviual personalities can come in to play.

One thing absent this year, Siskins, our State bird and the commonest bird at the feeder last summer are totally absent this year, any ideas why? Oh and btw, these little guys will dominate your feeder!




Andy
 
Perhaps the Tits and Finches are just feeding their young elsewhere (nearby woods, hedgerows, open countryside?) on a diet that does not include food generally out into feeders. I'm sure come the winter weather they will be back :king:

In the meantime perhaps stock up on various types of feeders, including those cages that only let smaller birds through to trays of food. Even just buying one per month will soon give you a good selection come the colder weather :t:
 
Hi Elmer,
it was a male Great Spotted, we have numerous GS's that come to our feeder but none have ever behaved like this. It was upsetting to watch the carnage as he appeared each time and when he killed the Great Tit that was it, he had to go.

This is extreme behaviour, usually they'll come and feed then leave. The only drama we get is the Pied Flycatchers from a nearby nest box who will mob them until they leave.

Our Flycatchers fledged today!
One day earlier than last year. 90% of urban and suburban nestboxes in Russia are occupied by Pied Flycatchers.

Regards, Andy
 
GSW will enlarge nest box holes to eat chicks or eggs hence the mobbing they get by our resident Pied Flycatchers when they use the feeder.

You can actually get reinforced boxes that aim to keep peckers out.


Andy
 
andyadcock said:
GSW will enlarge nest box holes to eat chicks or eggs hence the mobbing they get by our resident Pied Flycatchers when they use the feeder.

You can actually get reinforced boxes that aim to keep peckers out.


Andy
Click to expand...

"So that's good. :)" for the OP, but a so-called "Bully Breed" for someone else.
 
Would a cage not scare some of the birds away?

My problem is my chickens, they love the dunnock feeder, just their height!
We only get House Sparrow, Chaffinch and dunnock at our feeders.
 
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