How to Attract Birds to Feeders? The Ultimate 7-Step Checklist

Have you ever experienced the disappointment of meticulously positioning and stocking your bird feeders, only to find that no feathered visitors grace your backyard? If so, you're not alone. Many bird lovers have faced this challenge, wondering how to attract birds to feeder effectively.

What should you do to kickstart the process of attracting birds to your backyard feeders? How to make your feeders a reliable and welcoming food source for your feathered friends? Achieving the best results requires a multifaceted approach, rather than relying on a single factor. In this article, we'll explore strategies to transform your feeders into a reliable and inviting food source for our avian friends.

Part 1. How Do Birds Find Bird Feeders

Birds locate feeders through fundamental survival needs. Much like humans, they prioritize daily access to food and safe shelter. To attract birds reliably, establishing a consistent supply of nourishing food and clean water is essential. This transforms your feeder into a recognized resource in their foraging territory.

Specifically, the key methods of how birds find feeders are:

• 1. Sight-Dominant Exploration
  

  With limited smell sensitivity, birds primarily rely on vision. Brightly colored feeders (especially red/yellow) and moving seeds/fruits catch their attention, acting as visual beacons (see color guide in later sections).

• 2. Sound-Assisted Navigation
  

  Auditory cues play a secondary role. Flowing or dripping water (e.g., fountains, birdbaths) helps birds pinpoint locations over distances—a critical signal in winter’s silent landscapes.

• 3. Memory-Based Habituation
  

  Once birds confirm the feeder’s safety and food quality (tailored to local species’ dietary preferences), they form a conditioned reflex. Regular replenishment reinforces this pattern, turning your feeder into a routine stop.

To summarize, birds find feeders through a three-phase process: Visual detection (bright colors/movement) →Auditory verification (water sounds) →Memory consolidation (repeated positive experiences).

Part 2: How To Attract Birds To Bird Feeder

Now that you know how birds locate your bird feeders, follow these methods below to naturally attract birds to your bird feeders.

1. Know Your Local Birdlife

The first crucial step in attracting feathered guests to your feeders is to acquaint yourself with the natural surroundings in your neighborhood and gain a deeper understanding of the local birds. This fundamental knowledge enables you to get on a much smoother journey and accelerates the arrival of your winged friends.

2. Place Your Feeder Strategically

Bird feeders should be placed in a safe area that protects the birds from threatening creatures and at different heights for different bird species. Most birds do not fly directly to a new feeder as they are cautious and are afraid of potential harm and danger from cats/hawks or other animals(and humans of course). They do not want to be too exposed, so there better be some coverings like trees or large bushes nearby(but you need to keep the feeders from small bushes that cats can hide in).

In general, feeders should be put at least 5 feet from the ground to prevent jumping squirrels and cats, see other reasons in How High Should Bird Feeders Be from Ground. Small birds like finches and chickadees adore tube feeders put in a higher position and larger birds such as cardinals, jays, doves prefer the more open platform feeders. Apart from that, you should also ensure a standing/staging perch for the birds so that they can rest and enjoy the meal leisurely. See Birdfy Pro Perch Extension and Birdfy Hummee Extension.

If you want to build a natural landscape near the feeder that may be more appealing for the lovely guests, remember to grow native plants. To protect our little guests, chemical-free options should be considered. For example, you can grow fruit-bearing plants such as cherry trees and raspberry bushes. To invite hummingbirds and orioles, tubular flowers like fuchsia are suggested.

3. Entice Birds with Colorful Allure

You can increase the chance of birds visiting your feeder simply by adjusting the color(s) of the surrounding environment.

• Red, orange, and yellow
  

  Common sense is that vivid and right colors are more likely to attract birds, among which red, orange, and yellow tend to be the most attractive. This is because these colors are generally associated with reliable food sources that make them survive. See Birdfy Hum Feeder which is presented in these colors and is equipped with built-in dual cameras.

• Blue
  

  However, some birds, for example, blue jays, also prefer blue as it is commonly found in nature. Birdfy Smart Feeder is a blue bird feeder and Birdfy Feeder Bamboo is a more natural choice if you would like to make your creative decorations and paint on the bamboo material.

Don't forget to make sure that the pigments you use to paint on the feeder are non-toxic and unharmful to the little birds. Also, it is more likely to attract birds if the paintings are of light colors and are kept simple as well as natural.

4. Providing Backyard Birds favorite seeds

As mentioned above, food is the most essential factor that attracts birds to your feeder. So here, we introduce the best seed types that fit different birds' preferences and provide some suggestions on how to choose seeds for different periods throughout the year.

5. Keep your bird seed FRESH

Choosing the right food for your local birds is the basic bar for inviting them to pay a visit. The silver lining above all about providing bird food is to keep them fresh, not moldy or rancid, which is fatal to birds. All the bird seeds should be replaced and refilled in two weeks if there is no rain or snow (wet food repels birds too).

If you can make your feeder a never-ending seed supplier, more and more birds will begin to come. Birdfy Smart Feeder and Birdfy Feeder Bamboo ensure a large supply of bird seeds with 1.5L(50oz) and 3L(101oz) food capacity, which makes it easier for birds to spot and stay longer.

① Choose the Right Seed Types

• Black oil sunflower seed: The commonly welcomed seed type for most birds.
• White proso millet: Adored by Juncos, doves, and small sparrows.
• Fruit treat: Suitable for woodpeckers and robins.
• Peanuts: Favored by jays and nuthatches.
• Nectars: For the cute hummingbirds.

② Be WARY of mixed seeds

Avoid buying those mixed seeds with some "filler" seeds that are not enjoyed by most birds. When you put mixed seeds in one feeder, be aware that there may be some occasions when one or two seed types are not liked by some aggressive visitors. In this case, those seeds may be tossed to the ground and this may deter the milder birds from coming near(although some birds prefer feeding from the ground). As a result, putting different types of seed in different feeders separately may encourage more birds to enjoy the food at the same time. You can also put a Birdfy Anti-scattering Cover to limit this phenomenon.

③ Varying the seed types

To attract feathered visitors, you should also consider varying the seed types throughout the year in different seasons.

• In summer, sunflower seed is a good choice as it doesn't easily go rancid on hot days.
• In the fall, birds need more protein from mixed seeds to prepare for the coming winter.
• From winter to spring, birds require seeds with more fat and calories to generate energy and take better care of the baby birds.

6. Take the Climate into Account

Mid to late autumn is considered the best time to set up a bird feeder as most birds (not all) migrate in the fall to seek a place that offers vegetation, water, and food for them to overcome the harsh winter.

There are enough natural food resources for birds in summer and early autumn, making it more difficult for them to visit bird feeders placed around human habitats.

During one day, morning and late in the day are the common times that they fly around and look for things to eat.

7. Using smart bird feeder

Traditional bird feeders are often difficult to clean, allowing food to mold or breed bacteria. Over time, birds will avoid visiting contaminated feeders.

The solution? Eco-friendly, weatherproof, mold-resistant smart feeders that let you watch birds dine in real time. Birdfy Feeder - Bird Feeder with Camera combines lightweight, tool-free installation with an integrated HD camera to capture birds in stunning clarity.

• Smart Birdwatching: Receive instant phone notifications when birds arrive, and remotely watch live footage of birds feeding.
• Effortless Cleaning: Unlike traditional feeders, Birdfy’s design enables quick hygiene maintenance; simply rinse with water for a like-new finish.
• Fresh Food Guaranteed: Birdfy Feeder seed storage barrel automatically fills the feeding tray as needed. This prevents food waste, mold, and seed theft by squirrels or rodents.

Part 3. 5 Tips for Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

Would you rather not just have birds eat at your bird feeder, but see them wandering through your backyard? Here are some tips to keep birds coming back to your yard.

1. Find a Perfect Spot in Your Yard

To attract birds to your backyard, it's important to create a space that feels safe and welcoming. Birds need greenery and cover nearby to feel secure enough to explore. Try to create a mix of open spaces and sheltered areas where birds can rest and feed. Keep in mind that birds can be territorial, so spacing out bird food and shelter options can maximize your yard's bird traffic.

2. Provide a Variety of Feeders

Different types of birds have different feeding habits, so providing a variety of feeders can attract a wider range of species. Tube feeders are great for small birds like finches and chickadees, while platform feeders are better for ground-feeding birds like juncos and sparrows. Hummingbird feeders are also a great addition if you want to attract these tiny, colorful birds. Squirrel-proof feeders can keep your feeders safe from squirrels and other animals.

3. Provide Water Source

Birds bathe year-round, but often struggle to find water sources in the winter, so having fresh water available can make your yard a desirable destination. Moving water is particularly attractive to birds, so adding a pump or mister can draw even more feathered friends to your yard. If you live in a cold climate, investing in a heater can keep your bird bath or pond from freezing over.

4. Plant a Bird-Friendly Oasis

Creating a bird-friendly environment in your backyard can be as simple as planting some bird-friendly native plants, trees, and shrubs. Berry-rich trees and shrubs like rowan, hawthorn, guelder rose, and holly provide natural food sources and shelter. Plants with an abundance of seeds, like teasels or sunflowers, are also great choices. Ivy and honeysuckle provide dense cover, fruits, and attract insects for birds to feast on. Wildflowers can also attract insects that birds love to feed on while filling your garden with beautiful displays of color.

5. Provide Shelter

Creating shelter with greenery is a great start, but providing bird boxes or birdhouses can offer additional safety, warmth, and shelter. Encouraging birds to build nests in your yard is one of the best ways to ensure a constant stream of birds all year long. You can also provide birds with nesting materials. Grass clippings, dried weeds and leaves, and even pet hair are all great materials for nest building.

With our Birdfy feeder, you can provide an all-in-one solution for attracting and watching birds in your backyard. It offers a variety of feeding options and a built-in camera, allowing you to watch and enjoy the birds from anywhere, anytime. We also offer two extensions for you to DIY your own feeder perch to attract different bird species. With a little effort, you can create a beautiful and welcoming environment that will attract a variety of feathered friends.

Conclusion

To summarize, attracting birds to your feeder can't be achieved in a rush. There are a lot of things you need to consider and efforts are necessary throughout the process. JUST BE PATIENT and we believe that the instructions in this article would be of great help for you to attract and welcome your first little feathered guest! Birds in Sight, Joy in Mind.