We have many different types of birds that visit our landscapes throughout the seasons and it is helpful for us to create beautiful homes and food for them. From different types of food to various types of feeders, there are many ways to take care of your feathered friends. Here are our favorite supplies to care for birds in your yard year-round.
We carry different types of food to attract wild birds looking for sustenance, especially as they fatten up for the winter. Here are some of our favorite types of bird food that we carry at all three of our Merrifield Garden Center locations.
The most tried and true bird seed we carry is the Cole’s brand Blue Ribbon Blend, which includes millet, corn, and sunflower and attracts the most species of birds in our area. Cole’s also blends a Finch Friend mix that includes sunflower kernels and niger seed and is especially attractive to finches. Their Hot Meats Blend (made of shelled nuts) and Cajun Cardinal Blend feature spicy habanero chili pepper to deter squirrels. Cole’s also carries a Critter Munchies blend, which is formulated with yellow corn, sunflower, shelled peanuts and raw peanuts and attracts a wide range of animals, including squirrels, raccoons and opossums.
Bird seed cakes are made from a variety of ingredients the birds love, such as millet, mixed nuts, peanuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, safflower and more. The cakes are combined with gelatin instead of animal fat to hold the cakes in place while the birds eat the seeds, making it a cleaner choice than bagged bird seed. You can place the cakes inside bird houses or feeders to attract cardinals, nuthatches, woodpeckers and more throughout your yard.
The most nutritious and high-caloric food available for birds is suet, which comes in cake and pellet forms. Suet is made from rendered animal fat found around the kidneys and loins of cattle and sheep. Along with animal fat, suet cakes and pellets include other ingredients like nuts, seeds, oats, corn and wheat. Suet cakes are rectangular in shape and can be inserted into metal or plastic feeders to hang from poles throughout the yard. As the weather gets warmer, we recommend purchasing our High Energy Delight no-melt suet that won’t melt during outdoor temperatures of over 90° F.
To prevent the squirrels from eating the suet cakes, you can use flavors like Hot Pepper Delight given squirrels can’t handle the spice. Birds have different taste receptors and won’t experience heat when they consume the hot pepper spice.
We carry hummingbird nectar in concentrate, powder and ready-to-use liquid form. The concentrate and powder forms must be diluted with water before adding it to your hummingbird feeders. This sugary substance can attract bacteria if left in the feeder for too long, so we recommend changing the nectar every few days to keep the vessel clean and your hummingbirds healthy.
We carry a variety of feeders for wild birds. We recommend placing them either near a window or on tall poles surrounding your yard. Placing feeders at least 3 feet away from windows will keep the birds from running into the glass, which happens often. Place them on tall poles rather than attached to trees to discourage squirrels from climbing and eating the food.
Made for suet specifically, suet cages are rectangular in shape and are made from either plastic or metal. Simply open the cage and place your suet block inside to hang the cake in your yard, making it easier for woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees to feed on the suet. We also have squirrel resistant suet feeders for woodpeckers that allow the birds to comfortably prop their tail up on the small platform below the cage while they feed on their food.
Tray feeders are large, hanging trays that are great for accommodating many different birds at once given the large surface area. You can spread loose bird seed right on top of the tray and replenish as needed. Birds that will love tray feeders include blackbirds, cardinals, doves, finches, jays, nuthatches, robins, sparrows and woodpeckers.
Hoppers resemble tiny houses and can be hung from poles throughout the yard. They feature a tray and a roof, allowing access to the seed from multiple sides so several birds can enjoy the seed at once while keeping them dry from rain and snow. The roofs can also help deter squirrels. We carry hoppers in a variety of sizes to accommodate both small and large birds. The roofs of the hoppers are easily detachable, making feeding and cleaning easy.
Tube feeders are long and cylindrical, typically made from plastic with openings throughout the tube and either spokes or perches for the birds to access the seed. We carry tube feeders with a variety of size openings to accommodate different size seeds.
Our tube feeders generally hold about one to five pounds of bird seed. With tube feeders, you won’t have to replenish the bird seed as frequently as tray feeders or hoppers since it can hold a decent amount of food at one time. The clear plastic of the tube feeder will help you see how much bird seed you have in the vessel. It is dishwasher safe and you can fill the feeder from the top of the tube.
We carry glass and plastic hummingbird feeders in different sizes with simple or decorative styles. We recommend changing the nectar and cleaning your feeder every few days. If the nectar is left sitting for too long, it will get cloudy and riddled with bacteria which will affect your hummingbird’s health. If you wish to add multiple feeders to your yard, we recommend spreading them at least 10 to 20’ apart as male hummingbirds are known to fight over nectar.
Our birdhouses are labeled as both wren and bluebird homes, but will also attract other species like chickadees, nuthatches, sparrows and more. Some houses feature a copper or metal guard surrounding the entrance holes. This prevents squirrels and other predators like snakes from being able to eat the eggs and baby birds, keeping them safe from harm. These guard rings are attractive and practical. We also carry houses without the guards, which are typically more economical.
We offer metal poles to hang your feeders. We recommend avoiding hanging them from trees as squirrels will likely get into your seed if you are hanging them within a tree’s branches.
You can also use a shepherd’s hook to place your bird houses throughout your yard. These tall, metal poles are durable, strong and attractive and come in the following sizes: 5’4”, 7’4” and 8’4”. The shorter hooks are easier to get to, but the taller hooks are harder for squirrels to invade your bird feeders.
Shields, also known as baffles, are plastic or metal apparatuses that can be attached to shepherd’s hooks. These products help keep rain, snow and squirrels from damaging your bird houses and feeders.
The weather shield squirrel baffle is a plastic dome that you can attach to your shepherd’s hook. It has two-way hooks; one grabs the shepherd’s hook and the other grabs the feeder. It will repel rain, snow, hail and other weather conditions from hitting your bird feeders.
Torpedo squirrel baffles are cylindrical attachments that slide easily onto metal poles. They stay in place with their included couplers, hanging just below the feeder to deter squirrels from climbing up and eating the bird food.
We recommend placing ultraviolet decals on the exterior of your windows to help prevent birds from flying into the glass. These decals contain a UV reflective coating that helps birds see a glow, preventing them from flying directly into the clear glass. We recommend placing these decals 4” horizontally and 2” vertically apart from one another over the entire window. The decals come in different styles, including hawks, acorns and leaves.
Birdbaths are wonderful additions to the garden as your feathered friends will love playing and cleaning themselves in the water. Replace the water in your bird bath regularly so the bird have access to fresh, clean water.
Our concrete birdbaths are durable and attractive. These baths are more stable and heavier than other types of baths. They will overwinter well, so you can leave them outside and replenish the water. If freezing temperatures are expected, empty your birdbath to prevent the water from collecting and freezing.
Our ceramic bird baths are made from clay that has been fired in a kiln and covered in glaze. They come in all kinds of colors. They will not overwinter as well as the concrete versions. During winter, take the top off and bring it indoors or into a screened in porch where it will be away from the harsh winter winds, snow and ice.
We also carry colorful Talavera bird baths. These baths are hand painted in Mexico and look whimsical and beautiful in the garden.
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