Feeder layout

When switching from fall to winter feeding, you may want to place a group of feeders closer to the house. Tray feeders and fly-through feeders can be placed on a deck railing so they are easier to access when the snows accumulate.

As in fall feeding, use several feeder clusters of three to four feeders per cluster and a ground feeding site. Each cluster has a variety of feeder types that offer larger seeds, smaller seeds, and suet.

Corn feeders are placed toward the back of the yard to accommodate squirrels, rabbits and pheasants.

If possible, feeders should be near the protective cover of pines, spruce or juniper trees so birds can rest in the shelter of those trees between visits to the feeders.

The best feeder sites are downwind from the shelter provided by conifers, switchgrass plantings, cattail marshes or buildings. To avoid giving raptors or cats an advantage in catching birds, feeders should be at least ten feet from the nearest cover where such predators could hide.

If your feeders are within ten feet from heavy cover, encircle them with 2" x 4" welded wire fencing at least thirty inches high and about six to eight feet in diameter. This will help deter predators.

If placing feeders closer to the house increases the number of bird/window collisions, try using stick-on window feeders, or move feeders to within one or two feet of the window.

By reducing the distance between the feeder and the window, birds have less room to build up the speed that causes serious collisions.