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What are platform bird feeders and why are they so popular? Of all the types of bird feeders around, platform bird feeders are the most widely used. They are the easiest to build and are very appealing to our little winged friends. The basic and most flexible of all feeders, the platform bird feeder is also known as tray birdfeeders or bird tables. You can use any type of flat surface as your platform feeder. It may be a tray, a dish, a slab of plywood - anything flat where you can spread your seeds on. Bird feeder manufacturers have recently launched some ready-to-make platform type feeders. They also offer the fancier types of platform bird feeders available in the market. These come with roofs and wire mesh bottoms for drainage, and are also easier to dismantle for easier cleaning and maintenance. Platform type bird feeders are very versatile. They can hold any type of bird feed that you want to use, though only the amount fit for one day's consumption should be put out at a single time. The platform bird feeder appeals to a wide range of birds, and may be used to cater to birds who like to feed on the ground. Depending on the type of feed you have, the platform bird feeder may draw cardinals, towhees, sparrows and other larger birds like jays. And when placed near the ground, they also attract ground feeding birds like doves and juncos, who like to feed on the seeds kicked off the platform you've set up. Using this type of feeder is relatively simple. They are very easy to refill, can hold a wide variety of bird feed and its basic, flat design allows for a full view of the feeding birds. It also offers a wide range of mounting possibilities. You can suspend this from a tree branch or can fasten it securely to a pole. On the downside, the platform birdfeeder requires a lot of maintenance. You might lose some of your seeds as a result of strong winds or snow. It can pose as a threat to your health if the feeder is dirty and left untouched for long periods of time. This type of feeder should have an adequate number of drainage holes to allow for water to dry up and should be cleaned regularly to get rid of bird droppings. Bird feed might also spoil easily when left close to the bird droppings. Platform Feeders don't always offer protection against rain and other hazardous elements, though you can find some that have roofs available. It is also not squirrel proof, so you might want to get squirrel barriers for bird feeders, known as baffles, to prevent squirrels from tampering with your feeders and scaring the birds away. Several points are to be considered when using a platform type bird feeder. One would be to place it at an area that offers some natural protection for the birds that might come to feed. You might also want to consider providing more than just one platform to cater to different kinds of birds at a single time. And you should remember to feed at a fixed schedule to keep birds coming regularly. |
