What To Look For In A Hopper Feeder
Hopper feeders have a built in benefit - their size. A number of feeders have very tiny feeder platforms that are too fragile or shaky for larger birds. But hopper feeders can accommodate birds of all sizes. Additionally, if you buy one that has an ample feeding platform, it will allow many birds to feed at a time. This gives you the possibility of having many different bird species sharing your garden space.
Some bird lovers, however, don’t want large birds in their garden. They fear that the feeder will be taken over by the larger birds, forcing the smaller birds to go elsewhere. If that is the case with you, one very nice and advanced feature that you should look for in a hopper feeder is weight sensitive perches. This lets you calibrate the feeder so that only birds of the size you desire will can the feeder.
When you buy your hopper feeder, don’t buy the cheap ones. If it’s made of cheap plastic or cheap wood, look for another brand or model. Plastic feeders have a real tendency to discolor. This is especially true when they are in the bright sun all day. They also tend to cloud up and become “grungy looking” over time. A well made wood feeder can be a beautiful addition to your yard and last for years. Feeders made of cheap wood will likely crack or split and need replacing within a couple of year.
Hopper feeders are among the easiest feeders that you can buy. They are almost maintenance free. The only simpler type of feeder is the platform feeder which, while inexpensive, leaves the bird seeds totally exposed to the weather and other critters.
Where to place your feeder? A hopper feeder can be placed almost anywhere in your garden. You can hang it from a tree in your yard or you can fix it on a pole. If you have multiple trees, you can hang your hopper feeder from a wire stretched between them. Wherever you place it, you can count on your bird feeder giving you many years of enjoyment
You can find more bird oriented resources such as wooden bird houses and blue bird houses at our website.
