In this video, This Old House landscape contractor Roger Cook and Massachusetts Audubon Naturalist Tia Pinney discuss birdfeeders.
Tips for choosing and using birdfeeders
- Use black-oil sunflower seeds to attract the widest variety of birds.
- Hang a suet basket to provide high-energy food for birds, especially in winter.
- Tube feeders with metal guards prevent damage from squirrels.
- Caged feeders keep out squirrels and large birds.
- Platform feeders are best for larger birds and ground-feeding species.
- Use a squirrel baffle to prevent squirrels from climbing up to feeder.
- Install a birdbath to provide water for birds. Use an electric heater to prevent the water from freezing.