by Melanie Brewer

My eyes lit-up like a kid receiving a bike from Santa when I unwrapped my bird feeder camera. It’s a perfect addition to our backyard garden haven for my family and for our feathered friends. I didn’t think the set-up would be as easy as charging it, filling it, and strapping it to a tree, so I did a Google search and surprisingly the first photo showing up was a feeder strapped to a tree. Further search unearthed information on successful location and mounting of the feeder. You may find this to be helpful with your birdfeeder and birdhouse projects as well.

If the birds are to be protected from predators and the feeders from squirrels, it seems mounting a feeder or house to a tree isn’t savvy. Better alternatives are metal poles or wooden posts firmly anchored in ground and equipped with a baffle. The feeder is mounted to the pole at approximately 5 feet with a baffle secured just below it. Baffles, shaped like cones or tubes, deter squirrels, raccoons, and even snakes from sneaking up the pole. The recommended size tube baffle is a minimum of 6” diameter and 16” long.

The optimal placement of a bird feeder provides both accessibility and safety for birds. It’s wise to locate the feeder close - yet not too close - to trees, shrubs, and structures. Birds prefer to have an unobstructed view to survey the area for danger. They also need a safe shelter to flee to if a predator arrives. Therefore a good balance is considered to be 10-15 feet of distance between feeder and trees. Above the feeder, 8-10 feet of clearance is recommended. I wonder if this may turn into an acrobatic squirrel show.

My husband and I decided on an adjustable 1” metal pole and mounting bracket for bird feeders/houses and a 6” torpedo baffle that came with a coupler. The pole had a sharp end and wide blade that screwed into the ground and firmly secured the pole. We placed the coupler to hold the baffle on the pole at 5’ and slid the baffle on. The mounting plate with the pole did not align with the mounting plate on the feeder (which seems to commonly occur) so a piece of wood was used to secure the feeder mount to the pole mount.

Black-oil sunflower seeds are a high-energy favorite of song birds so I always have those out for birds. For the new feeder I opted for sunflower hearts and chips to avoid the messy shells. I have crushed unsalted peanuts and suet in other feeders. I avoid mixed seed blends since most birds avoid the seeds they dislike and leave them scattered on the ground.

The placement of a birdfeeder or birdhouse can really make a difference in providing accessibility and safety for the birds. Be sure you enjoy the view, too! We completed the setup of our new birdfeeder/cam three days ago. A Carolina Wren and a Ruby Crowned Kinglet have already checked out the new feeder. Now we wait and watch. Afterall, we are gardeners.