Expert Reveals The 6 Common Mistakes Most People Make While Installing Bird Feeder

Birds visiting your house and pecking seeds from the bird feeder you set up early in the morning is a sight to sore eyes. But enjoying the feathered visitors in their natural element comes with a lot of responsibility. Right from identifying the appropriate kind of bird seeds to the ideal location, many factors influence the well-being of a bird population. In an interview with Southern Living, Jen McCarthey Tyrell, an expert from Audubon South Carolina, noted the six common mistakes people tend to make when installing bird feeders: 

1. Skimping on seed quality

When a person decides to help out the local birds by installing a bird feeder and filling it up with seeds, they are not doing the birds a favor. Hence, one should not feed them just for the sake of it. It is important to consider the right quality of seeds to ensure the well-being of the birds visiting the feeder. Several cheaper options are available in the market. These seed products would contain unhealthy amounts of pesticides and chemicals, which could mess up the birds’ metabolism. "Shelled seed varieties, while more expensive, get you more bang for your buck; you’re not paying for the weight of shells,” McCarthy said. 

2. Inconsistent feeding

Feeding birds to keep them coming is not a one-day job. A person must be consistent and responsible with the food sources to ensure the birds dependent on the feeder are well fed. Usually, birds rely on more than one food source, but winter times are tough, and stacking up your bird feeder during those times can be helpful. On that note, the expert said, "In very cold climates, birds become reliant on scarcer food sources. If you don’t want that guilt and level of responsibility, maybe sticking with warmer-season bird feeding is a better plan."

3. A feeder that looks good may not be ideal

Most people judge a feeder by its looks. But McCarthy notes functionally is key, and purchasing feeders should not be based on how they appear. "In very cold climates, birds become reliant on scarcer food sources. If you don’t want that guilt and level of responsibility, maybe sticking with warmer-season bird feeding is a better plan,” she said. It is also a common mistake she seems to witness among bird feeders. Ones that seem ornamental or decorative are generally difficult to clean. This posits the birds to be vulnerable to disease and bacteria as unhygienic bird feeders become a breeding ground for microorganisms. 

4. Set down your priorities 

Birds are instinctively capable of fending for themselves. Humans are barely the saviors they might think themselves to be for these creatures. Hence, it is important to remember that feeding birds is more for our recreation and less for the birds' benefit. However, responsibility and consistency are key to preventing the birds from being further negatively affected by human activity. 

5. Not maintaining proper hygiene

Like any other thing, even bird feeders require intense cleaning and maintenance. Hygiene is supreme for the delicate beings, as they may be affected by a lurking disease or dirty feeders breeding bacteria. "A bird feeder is also like a highway rest stop, lots of individuals are coming and going, touching the same surfaces,” McCarthy explained. Maintaining hygiene will ensure you are not encouraging or spreading a disease among the local bird population because it could cost them their lives. 

6. Squirrels are not the end of the road

While one may set out a freshly stacked bird feeder for the feathered visitors, some creatures may have their eyes set on it. Squirrels are great intruders when it comes to stealing food from feeders. However, it’s not the end. There are ways to manage squirrels, and this is where most people simply give up. Adding obstacles is one way to get rid of squirrels, like slinkys, greased poles, and similar things. It also depends on the location of the feeders, which may range from open yards to forested yards and others.