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How to feed wee birds ?

Fish2Fish2 Posts: 11
in Wildlife gardening
Any advice on how to keep bigger birds (Jackdaws, Magpies, pigeons) away from hanging feeders ?
Are there any particular feeders or places to hang them?
We have had chaffinch, blue tits, long tailed tits & yellow hammers in the past.
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Posts

  • madpenguinmadpenguin Posts: 2,543
    I use a feeder guardian for hanging feeders and a ground guardian for other feeding.
    The ground one allows blackbirds in but excludes pigeons etc.
    there are different types available at varying prices or you could try to make something yourself  :)
     
    “Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
  • blameitonthedogblameitonthedog Posts: 122
    I'm sure others will have far more ingenious ideas - we have only taken to feeding birds that visit our garden for the last year or two.  We gave up with the bird table and ground feeders.

    The only thing that works for us are the wire type hanging feeders filled with peanuts which all of the small birds love - they do still need to be strategically hung from outer/smaller branches of our trees.

    This has deterred magpies, jackdaws and pigeons (we love those too but nothing else was getting a look in!) but absolutely nothing fools the rooks.
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    An upturned hanging basket works as a ground guardian for me. I have squirrel proof  caged hanging feeders but they don't stop jackdaws having a go. I hang them from apple trees which have big shrubs next to them for instant cover for small birds.

  • Fish2Fish2 Posts: 11
    Thanks for these. I'm open to try anything to allow the wee ones a chance !
    All God's creatures, etc .................. but there are limits !
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    I buy all my bird food and feeders from the RSPB, expensive but good quality.  They sell all sorts of guards to protect feeders.  My hanging feeder was fitted with a squirrel guard, but the corvids still managed to get the food.  I added an outer cylinder of plastic garden mesh, held in place with florist's wire, and that does the trick.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I use an cage I found in a junk shop. It works pretty well.






  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    That's fancy as h*ck :o
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LauraRoslinLauraRoslin Posts: 496
    I tie my feeders to a thin branch that bends and throws off anything bigger than a small bird.  Specially good for squirrels.  My feeders are also thin with short roosts so the big birds can't bend themselves around it.
    I wish I was a glow worm
    A glow worm's never glum
    Cos how can you be grumpy
    When the sun shines out your bum!
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    It cost a fiver. I usually grow trailers through it but thought I'd try it against pigeons and squirrels.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Madpenguin where did you get the hanging feeder please? I have two similar ones v old and have been looking for replacements for years. Can't find anything as good.

    Fire, that is so Chelsea!  ;)
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
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