How Do Birds Find Bird Feeders? (And Where To Put Them)

Modern bird feeders look unlike anything birds find in nature. So how do birds find them? A bird feeder may not be very attractive on its own, but the food it contains sure does! Bird seeds may seem unremarkable to us, but birds are interested in the food sources they depend on.

Birds are able to learn what different food sources look like, and through association, they may be able to learn that a bird feeder means a free meal. As part of their daily foraging, they will periodically check the feeders to see when they are filled. Birds are also very aware of their surroundings, so watching and listening to other birds in the area will also alert them to the presence of feeders or other food sources.

Birds have excellent vision, they can detect more colors than we can. They need to eat regularly and spend most of the day looking for food. It may take some time for birds to find and start visiting new bird feeders, especially if they are not used to being fed. Be patient and put your feeders in place, and it’s usually only a matter of time before the first birds start visiting.

Read on to learn more about how birds find bird feeders.

Black-capped tit on a feeder

Where is the best place to put a bird feeder?

There are many factors to consider when deciding where to place your bird feeder. First, you probably want to be able to observe birds, so the ideal location is within sight, with a window. Collisions with windows often occur when birds fly away from feeders. Instead of placing the feeder directly in front of the window, place it at an angle so that the bump is less severe.

Bird safety is more than just preventing window collisions. You’ll also want to minimize the chances of nearby felines or other predators, such as pointed hawks and copper hawks, feeding on visiting songbirds.

Protect birds from cats by placing bird feeders on poles or hanging them at least 5 or 6 feet off the ground. Placing feeders a few feet away from bushes or dense trees will also provide birds with an escape route from hungry hawks. However, if squirrels are around, you may need to move up to 12 feet from the nearest tree.

Make sure to place the bird feeder at least 5 to 6 feet off the ground to keep the birds safe

Birds eat most comfortably in quiet areas without a lot of walking or road traffic. If you have dogs, they also scare birds, so keep that in mind as well. You can place your bird feeder in the shade if you live in a very hot area, or in the sun in a cooler climate, just avoid areas where strong winds may cause the feeder to wiggle or blow food away.

To recap, consider the following when setting up a bird feeder:

• You should be able to spot birds with ease.
• You should be able to easily reach the feeder to clean and refill.
• These birds should be kept away from pets and hawks.
• Position the feeder at an angle to the window to prevent injury.
• Choose a quiet location with minimal distractions such as traffic.
• Choose a comfortable microclimate for the birds.

How long does it take the bird to find the feeder?

Sometimes, birds can find a feeder almost immediately. In other cases, it can take up to several weeks for them to find your feeder and begin to feel comfortable enough to feed them. Choosing the right location is also important to encourage birds to visit the feeder as soon as possible.

If you live in the suburbs, there is a good chance that other people in your neighborhood have placed bird feeders. That means the birds in your area have learned to associate bird feeders with a free lunch, and you can expect them to start visiting soon. If everyone in your neighborhood is feeding the birds and keeping the feeders filled, the birds probably won’t see any reason to look elsewhere.

In rural areas where bird feeders may not have been seen before, birds may take longer to recognize bird feeders as a food source. In this case, spreading food around the bird feeder can be an effective way to attract birds.

Read on to learn more about how birds find bird feeders.

A pair of purple finches visit a bird feeder

Do birds tell each other where food is?

Birds have incredible vision and hearing, and they are highly attuned to their surroundings. They’ll hear the excited and arguing sounds of other birds enjoying their free meal, and come in to investigate.

Birds are hyper vigilant, and they also investigate the comings and goings of other birds from food sources. In these ways, birds indirectly communicate the location of food sources.

Can Birds Smell Bird Food?

The sense of smell in most birds is not a highly developed sense. For example, some species such as the turkey vulture are thought to have a keen sense of smell, but songbirds rely more on their keen eyesight to detect food.

Closeup of a European Goldfinch at a bird feeder

What are the best colors for bird feeders?

The color of bird feeders doesn’t seem to be particularly important, although a study in the UK found that the most common backyard birds there preferred silver or green feeders. However, the results varied by species, with European starlings actually showing a preference for blue.

In the United States, orange has proven to be a good color for attracting orioles, while red is the color of choice for hummingbird nectar hunters. Natural colors like greens, grays, and browns can be a good choice in many situations because they blend well together. This may allow birds to see them as a more natural part of their environment.

Orange breeders are very good at wooing Baltimore Orioles

Why aren’t the birds coming to my new feeder?

It can take days or even weeks for birds to start using a new feeder, so don’t give up hope too quickly. There could be a number of reasons why birds in your yard are stubbornly refusing to access your feeders.

These include:

• They are unhappy with the position of the feeder
• They haven’t found a new feeder yet
• They are not attracted to food in feeders
• food is abundant in the area

How do the birds know I filled the feeder?

Once birds have identified your feeder as a food source, they will visit periodically to check if food is available. Birds have excellent eyesight, so they can tell if your feeder is full without having to perch on it.

Birds also don’t need to see food to know it’s there. If there are other birds foraging, any passerby will probably fly right in to get their fill.

An American Goldfinch feeding from a hanging teacup bird feeder

Do birds visit feeders in the rain?

Most birds need to eat large amounts of food each day to get the energy they need to maintain their metabolism. Birds need more energy in cold weather, so as long as the weather isn’t too stormy, they’re sure to visit your bird feeder.

During light rain, the birds will forage in unsheltered areas, but during downpours, they will choose to take cover. Bird feeders placed under some form of shelter or with their own built-in roof can be used in heavy rain.

Which bird feeder attracts birds the most?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to choosing a feeder that will attract the most birds. You need to decide whether you want a large number of birds or a variety of birds.

A bird feeding station with many different food sources such as nectar, fruit, seeds, mealworms and suet is a good choice if you want to attract the largest variety of birds. By providing a variety of food sources, you will attract many different species of birds.

If you want to attract more birds and get them to eat quickly, a simple platform feeder is probably the best way to go. These feeders can hold large quantities of bird seed and allow many birds to feed at the same time.

Birds also like to feed with this feeder because the design is very simple and natural.

Bird feeding platforms are the best platforms to attract birds of all kinds

Bird Feeding FAQs

Can you hang bird feeders on trees?

Trees are naturally great places to hang bird feeders. In some cases, however, bird feeders should not be hung from trees. If you have problems with squirrels or ants visiting your feeders, a freestanding pole 10-12 feet from the tree may be a better choice.

Can you feed the birds on the ground?

Birds can be fed on the ground simply by spreading the seeds for them. However, this approach has some disadvantages. Food on the ground attracts unwanted visitors like mice and chipmunks, and certain types of seeds can even germinate and grow like weeds.

Chickpea eating seeds from the ground

Are bird feeders safe for birds?

Bird feeders are generally perfectly safe for birds, but in some cases this may not be the case. Bird feeders should be removed if any contagious bird diseases are found in your area.

Hygiene is very important when feeding birds and only good quality, fresh food should be provided. Thoroughly clean feeders every few days to prevent waste and bacteria buildup.

How Do Birds Find Suet Feeders?

Birds use their keen eyesight to find food. They are generally curious animals who investigate new food sources. Once birds identify suet feeders as a food source, they actively seek out this energy-rich food.

How do hummingbirds find nectar feeders?

Hummingbirds are naturally attracted to objects that look like flowers. The flowers they eat can come in a variety of colors, but red and orange flowers are usually bird-pollinated in nature.

Hummingbird feeders with bright colors and flower-shaped nectar ports are most likely to attract hummingbirds, but these birds have become so used to visiting feeders that even a very unnatural design will get their attention.