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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Owen Krout" data-source="post: 3345302" data-attributes="member: 131330">I have been giving some real thought to establishing a feeding station since we moved out of the high-rise and to ground level with a small patio and gardening area.  Since we moved in in November I haven't seen anything except Tree Sparrows in the compound, but I can look out our window and see the city park where I have had a good variety of birds.  I have tried sunflower seeds on a ledge at the edge of the patio, but so far nothing has partaken.  The Sparrows have set eyeing it from a tree a few meters away the last few days, but so far no takers.Your feeder looks fine to me.  Basically the same thing that I have successfully used often in the USA.  The location looks generally good with nearby cover available.  The problem is probably just that birds are not used to the feeder or even to looking for food in a residential location like this.  Then there is the question of whether people will harass any birds that are attracted.  You'll only know by trying.I can't really tell for sure, but it looks like you might have white millet, which is often considered to be the best general wild bird food.  Any millet might be the best bet as it is widely grown in China and hence more likely to be recognized as a food source by the birds.  Openings are large enough that it should handle sunflower seed OK, so you might mix some in to attract birds like Tits.  Black Oil Sunflower is the best nutrient wise, but probably harder to find in China.  The larger White Striped Sunflower should work though.  Make sure you get the raw, unroasted and unsalted.  Peanuts, either in the shell or hulled (again unroasted and unsalted) in a tray feeder with some sunflower seed would attract things like the Magpies.  A small percentage of peanut chips could be added to the tube feeder as could hulled sunflower seed.  Whatever the birds are feeding on locally will do the best job of attracting them in the first place as it is what they are used to looking for.  Cracked corn will be available as it is used as chicken feed, but only larger ground feeders like doves or starlings will eat it.</blockquote>

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