7 best bird feeders
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Do you find birds delightful? Love getting a close look at their pretty colors? Or perhaps the sound of birds chirping relaxes you? Placing a bird feeder in your yard can make enjoying feathered friends much easier. Bird feeders also make terrific gifts for grandparents or friends who are nature lovers.
Whether buying a bird feeder for yourself or as a gift, you want it to be safe and effective at attracting birds. To help you shop for bird feeders, we consulted bird excerpts about what to look for in a bird feeder and what to fill it with. We also asked them for the bird feeders they liked most.
SKIP AHEAD What are the different types of bird feeders? | How we picked the best bird feeders | The best bird feeders of 2024
What are the different types of bird feeders?
Before you even think about buying a bird feeder, it’s important to understand that many different types are on the market. Which one you choose will determine the types of birds you may attract, the kind of bird food you’ll need to fill it with and more. To help you determine the best type for you, we asked Tod Winston, a birding guide and urban biodiversity specialist with the New York City Audubon, to break down the different options:
Hopper feeders: These have a reservoir that slowly dispenses seed to various bird species. Some hopper feeders have a built-in mechanism that keeps larger birds or squirrels from accessing the seeds.
Platform feeders: These can be as simple as a flat board (with drainage holes) set atop a pole. They are easy to fill and clean, and any type of bird may visit and be seen from all sides. A roofed platform feeder is a good option to keep your seed mixture dry.
Nyjer feeders: Mainly used to attract goldfinches, siskins and other colorful finches; these are also called “thistle feeders.” They usually come in the form of a long plastic tube with perches.
Suet feeders: This type of feeder attracts woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens, chickadees, and titmice. It can be filled with pure beef suet, peanut butter or seeds. Not familiar with suet? It’s basically a fat covered with seeds.
How we picked the best bird feeders
Beyond type, there are a few other things experts say you should consider when shopping for a bird feeder. Here are the other characteristics they recommend looking for:
Waterproof: If your bird food gets wet, it can spoil and poison the birds, says Giselle Pemberton, an avid birder and wildlife photographer. So, it’s important to make sure your birdfeeder is waterproof.
Easy to clean: “Feeders that are simple and easy to clean are great,” says Emma Greig, a project leader at Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. “Ideally they don’t have decorations or cervices where birds could get themselves stuck, or where bacteria can hide when you are trying to clean them.”
Capacity: It will be a pain to constantly fill your feeder. “So, make sure your feeder holds an ample reservoir of seed,” says Winston.
The best bird feeders of 2024
We asked experts for some of their favorites to round up the best bird feeders. We also used the guidance they gave above to source highly-rated options.
Youvip Bird Feeder
Youvip Bird Feeder
Youvip Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
“I’ve used a hopper feeder hung from a shepherd’s hook in my front yard,” says Pemberton. “It’s great from smaller birds.” This one has a 360-degree perch so that birds can fully encircle it. The feeder also has a hood to keep the birdseed dry and the hooper is wide, making it easy to get your hand in it to clean.
Type: Hopper | Material: Metal and plastic | Capacity: 2.35 pounds
Kingsyard Platform Bird Feeder
Kingsyard Platform Bird Feeder
Kingsyard Platform Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
This platform feeder (meaning you just spread birdseed on the base) is a nice option because it has a plastic dome to protect the food from getting wet if it rains. You can raise the dome to allow bigger birds to access the food or lower it to attract only smaller birds. Another smart feature: The dome spins and doesn’t stay stable, so squirrels can’t find steady enough footing to steal the food if they land on it. As for what types of birds you can attract, Grieg says she likes platform feeders because they attract a wide variety of birds, including finches, doves and sparrows.
Type: Platform | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 2.5 pounds
Solution4Patio Cedar Bird Feeder
Solution4Patio Cedar Bird Feeder
Solution4Patio Cedar Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
“I recommend a good-sized wood hopper feeder that is sturdy, lets you see the seed reservoir, allows room for plenty of visitors, and gives you a clear view from wherever you’ll be watching,” says Winston, who notes that a deluxe version (like this one) will also have a built-in suet feeder to attract even more birds. The suet feeder is on the sides of this one and everything is covered by a cedar roof.
Type: Hopper and suet | Material: Wood | Capacity: 5.18 pounds
Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder
Netvue Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder
Want an even closer look at the birds visiting your feeder? Consider one with a built-in camera. These have become very popular in recent years, notes Winston. This one connects to your WiFi and sends footage straight to an app on your phone. It takes pictures and videos of birds and can help you identify the types of birds you are seeing. It has a perch for birds and a roof to prevent water from spoiling your bird seed.
Type: Hopper | Material: Plastic | Capacity: 1.5 liters
Gray Bunny Thistle & Nyjer Bird Feeder
Gray Bunny Thistle & Nyjer Bird Feeder
Gray Bunny Thistle & Nyjer Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
This Nyjer feeder has 16 feeding holes, allowing you to attract many birds at once. The base and lid are made from metal, as are the 8 different perches surrounding the feeder. The tube, which holds 2 pounds of seeds, is made from a durable plastic and there is a heavy-duty steel hanger at the top so you can hang it from a hook.
Type: Nyjer | Material: Plastic and metal | Capacity: 1.5 liters
Kingsyard Double Suet Bird Feeder
Kingsyard Double Suet Bird Feeder
Kingsyard Double Suet Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
Kingsyard Double Suet Bird Feeder $ at Kings Yard
Another option from Kingsyard, this feeder allows you to place suet inside for birds to peck away at. The gridded metal cage allows birds to grab on and steady themselves as they eat. The cage fits two suet cakes and has a metal roof to keep things dry. This feeder comes in four colors — black, blue, red and brown.
Type: Suet | Material: Metal | Capacity: 2 suet cakes
Sweetfull Solar Bird Feeder
Sweetfull Solar Bird Feeder
Sweetfull Solar Bird Feeder $ at Amazon
This option is a bird feeder and lamp in one. It glows at night thanks to a solar power charger located on the top. It is made of durable metal and has cutout details that are both pretty and functional. They let you see how much seed you have left in the tube. It also has a small overhang to protect birds and the seed from rain.
Type: Hopper | Material: Metal | Capacity: 2 pounds
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
Tod Winston is a birding guide and urban biodiversity specialist with the New York City Audubon.
Giselle Pemberton is an avid birder and wildlife photographer.
Emma Greig is a project leader at Project FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York
Why trust NBC Select?
Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she interviewed three bird experts on what to look for in a bird feeder.
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