Wild Birds in your Garden

Where To Put Your Bird Feeder

The two main things to keep in mind when deciding where to place your bird feeder are:
can you see the feeder well, and is the feeder in a safe location.

The first of these is easy, but the second takes a bit more planning.

You’ll want to make sure the feeder is in a place that’s relatively safe from window collisions and from predators.

Perhaps counterintuitively, feeders are safest when they’re closest to windows—
because if a bird takes off from the feeder and hits the window, it won’t be going at top speed and has a better chance of surviving—
so, it’s best to place feeders closer than 3 feet to a picture window (or even affixed to the glass or window frame).

Window glass kills at least 100 million birds every year in the United States, according to estimates.

Feeders close to natural shelter such as trees or shrubs offer resting places for birds between feeding bouts and a quick refuge if a hawk flies through.

Evergreens are ideal—their thick foliage buffers winter winds and offers year-round hiding places from predators.

Be careful not to locate your feeder too close to cover, though.

Nearby branches can provide jumping-off points for seed-hungry squirrels and hiding places for bird-hungry cats.

A distance of about 10 feet seems to be a good compromise, but try experimenting.

Source: All About Birds