Loudoun County Master Gardeners

Platform feeder: holds millet and other seed in an uncovered screen tray, which allows precipitation to pass through. Feeder can be suspended from a tree or pole, or made to look like a table that sits on four legs about 10 inches off the ground; useful for mourning doves and juncos.

Hopper feeder: a covered box that dispenses seed from slots in the sides; it can be mounted on a pole or suspended from a tree; good for cardinals and other birds which prefer sunflowers or a seed mix.

Thistle feeder: vertical tube, usually plastic, with tiny slits in the side to dispense the seed. Use one with short perches to attract finches. Plastic mesh bag feeders are also available.

Suet feeder: a screened square or plastic mesh bag that holds hardened, rendered fat that’s relished by woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and many other species. Offer suet in winter, because it can become rancid in warm weather.

Bluebird feeder: purchase mealworms from a local pet store and place them in a small clay or ceramic dish on a porch railing, or attach to a stand.


Platform	Hopper	Tube	Suet feeder

Black-Oil Sunflower: by far the best source of protein and fat, birds favor this seed over the striped sunflower; used by cardinals, titmice, nuthatches, grosbeaks, finches etc.

Striped-Oil Sunflower: a larger sunflower seed, not as preferred as the black-oil type but still okay to use.

Millet (proso): the little round white and red seeds found in a typical bird mix; said to be favored by mourning doves and sparrows, although many people report that birds scatter and waste the white seeds as they pick out the sunflowers.

Safflower: harder to find in the stores; use ONLY safflower seeds, no others, if you want to discourage starlings and squirrels. A favorite of cardinals, titmice and chickadees.

Thistle: very small, thin black seeds; because of their size and the additional labor required to harvest them, thistle seed tends to be very expensive; attractive to finches.

Cracked Corn, Peanut Hearts, Oats, Raisins, etc: there are many optional food sources that attract sparrows, juncos, mockingbirds and other species. Most of these foods also attract squirrels and other mammals like deer or raccoons, which can become a neighborhood nuisance. Therefore, use “gourmet” bird mixes sparingly.

Seed “Mix” or Blend: this is the cheapest generic mix that is easy to find at the average grocery store. But you get what you pay for: these mixes usually contain mostly millet and some filler seeds not preferred by birds and scant sunflower and are therefore not economical because most of the seed is not eaten.

Plan to re fill your feeders several times a week, once the birds have discovered your feeders and become accustomed to feeding there.

Clean your feeders once a month with a solution of one part chlorine bleach and nine parts of water (do not use bleach only). Let the solution come in contact with all surfaces for a few minutes, rinse well, then allow to air dry. Also, avoid letting food waste accumulate on the ground—periodically rake and remove the excess.