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The bird feed is placed in the tube and the birds take one seed at the time from individual feeding ports. As the seeds are eaten from the base of the feeder, more seeds slide down to replace them. This bird feeder design is ideal for reducing waste. Tube bird feeders keep seeds fairly dry and if they come with metal ports can also be somewhat resistant to squirrel attacks. When choosing tube feeders, make certain that the seed you intend to use will fit through the feeding port holes. Most tube feeders have big enough holes to fit sunflower seeds, but there are some that are made specifically for tiny thistle or niger seeds. Most tube bird feeders have a number of perches set at different levels around the tube. The size of the perches determines the type of birds this feeder attracts. Small perches on this type of feeder can be selective and favorable only to smaller birds like sparrows, grosbeaks, chickadees, finches and titmice. Tube feeders with perches above the feeding ports can accommodate birds that like to feed while hanging upside down like goldfinches. Short perches can keep large birds such as blue jays, grackles, blackbirds and doves away. Remember that tube feeders can attract a particular variety of bird species when combined with a specific type of seed. Black oil sunflower seeds when placed in a tube feeder can attract goldfinches, chickadees, pine siskins, various types of sparrows, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers and redpolls. Tube feeders with peanuts can attract cardinals, various types of sparrows, starlings, chickadees, juncos, finches, titmice, grackles, doves and jays. When looking to buy tube feeders, remember to keep these two things in mind: first, the feeder should have enough storage capacity to prevent you from having to refill the feeder often and second, the feeder should have enough protective covering to protect from squirrels and other threats. The size of your tube feeder depends on the number of birds that are coming to your feeding station. The more birds you have visiting you, the larger feeder you will need. As for feeder protection, you should get one that is difficult for squirrels to chew. This applies to any kind of bird feeder you want to buy. Most squirrels gnaw on feeding ports and the other parts that allow access to the storage area. Two tube feeder designs are available to prevent squirrels from chewing into your bird seeds. One is made of metal and the other one is constructed of plastic with metal parts for the top, bottom and all feeding ports. There are other tube feeders available in the market today. Some of the most popular can be seen at The Backyard Bird Company. Having tube feeders are a great way to invite birds into your backyard, but you should also remember that this feeder caters only to a specific variety. To attract more birds into your backyard, offer a wider variety of bird feeders. You should also offer the visiting birds a source of clean water. And, you can never go wrong with a safe and protected environment. |
