The Five Different Bird Feeder Styles and Guide

Using a bird feeder to attract birds to your backyard is simple and easy. Once you know the type of birds you would like to attract choosing the right bird feeder is the next step.

Below is a list of five different bird feeder styles and what type of birds they will attract.

With a hopper feeder you open the top to pour the bird seed in. They come in many different sizes and materials and are usually of some resemblance to the shape of a house or a gazebo. Hopper feeders are well protected from the weather but do not defend well against squirrels

Finches, blue jays, juncos, cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, and titmice enjoy a hopper feeder.

Tube feeders are constructed using a clear plastic tube with caps, dishes and perches made from plastic or metal. They have a perch under each hole for feeding birds to use. However, not all tube feeders have dishes at the bottom though they are needed for cardinals to feed, since the perches are usually too small for them.

Tube feeders are fairly protected from the weather but do not defend well against squirrels unless they utilize metal around the feeding area.

A common problem with a tube feeder is as the bird seed is lowered the higher perches will not have access to the bird food.

Chickadees, finches, sparrows and titmice can use most tube feeders.

Thistle feeders are usually a tube feeder with very small feeding holes so that Nyjer and thistle seed does not fall out.

Some thistle feeders are designed so the gold finch must hang upside down to eat the thistle.  Other birds will not be able to feed from this style of bird feeder 

Thistle feeders attract small perching birds like redpolls, finches, white-throated sparrows, pine siskins, song sparrows and indigo buntings.

Platform feeders are usually open in design and will sometimes include a roof. Due to this design they do not protect from the weather very well and can become a buffet for squirrels.

Platform feeders come in many shapes and sizes to allow a variety of wild birds to eat.

Suet feeders use a wire cage to hold suet cake in the feeder. 

Blue Jays, Downy Woodpeckers, Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, Pileated Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Catbirds and other birds enjoy suet from a suet feeder.