Tube Bird Feeders

1. Introduction

Tube bird feeders come in many styles and will feed a variety of wild birds.

This type of feeder can be used to attract smaller specific types of birds. They also serve as a deterrent for birds which are considered pests, as these unwanted types cannot manage some styles of this type of bird feeder.

2. List of Features

Tube feeders come in many styles.

• A solid tube with perches and feeding ports alternately placed down the length.

• A solid tube with a seed tray or perch and seed openings around the bottom.

• A tube made from wire mesh with a solid wood or metal top and bottom.

3. Best Seed Choice for This Feeder

It is best to have one type of wild bird seed and avoid mixed seed. The types of wild birds feeding at this feeder, will as usual, only eat their favourite seed. The seed which is left will clog the feeding ports leaving their favourite seed out of reach.

• Black oil sunflower – can be used in the first two styles listed above, with or without the shells and in the mesh style, only in the shell if the mesh is small enough to prevent the seed from slipping through.

• Shelled peanuts can be used in all three styles. But be sure the mesh style has large enough holes to enable the birds to remove the peanuts.

• Thistle bird seed (or nyjer seed) requires a specifically designed tube feeder for this seed with very tiny feeding ports. The seed is very small and light weight, making it unsuitable for conventional feeders. Through experience I found this out when the wind blew all the seed out of the feeder in short order. An expensive lesson!

4. Positives

The best advantage to this feeder is that larger birds, such as Starlings, Blackbirds, Blue Jays, and Mourning Doves, etc, which tend to be bullies and monopolize feeders, cannot eat from most types of tube feeders.

5. Problems

The very same reasons that make this type of feeder a positive choice, also make it a limiting style of feeder too. A variety of seed does not work well in this feeder so it limits the assortment of birds that one may want to see at feeders such as Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Blue Jays etc.

6. User Opinions

Many people have told me they love this type of feeder and use two or three in their yard. The little birds love them because it is usually reserved just for them. Many customers at our store told me they only use tube feeders because they have less problems. Putting out another style of feeder for other types of wild birds will round out the menu.

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7. List of Birds Attracted to a Tube Feeder

Chickadee

House Finch

American Goldfinch

Nuthatch

Titmice

Pine Siskin

Purple Finch

Lesser Goldfinch

Downy Woodpecker

Hairy Woodpecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Cardinal

More Types of Tube Bird Feeders

• Platform feeders, table feeders & tray feeders

• Suet feeders and

• Suet bird food recipes

• Ground feeder

• Hummingbird feeders

• Gazebo feeder

• Hopper feeder

• Chalet feeder

• Bluebird feeder

• Tube feeders

• Window feeders