Bring the birds to you. You don't have to go traversing across savannah or wander up mountains to get sight of some exquisite birds. By setting up a bird table you'll attract dozens of plumage-puffing species desperate for you to take a picture of them in all their glory.

Bird Tables Will Change Your Life

Platform bird feeder

You’re a bird, you’ve been flying about in the wintery weather for hours now and your stomach is growling. The ground is frozen and there’s no chance of finding any worms today. You dart across another hedgerow when you come across a miracle sent from the Gods themselves. It’s a platform feeder and it pops out from the surrounding scenery like like an oasis among sand dunes.

Platform feeders can be basic in their design or they can be made more elaborate, which you choose is a personal preference. If you’re an understated person yourself, you could have a tray sitting on a wooden post in your garden so you can spy anything that lands from far away without any obstructions. Some birds either can’t or won’t perch on thin pieces of material and like a solid base to spread their feet.

Ground platform feeder

There are many shy species out there who don’t like the limelight. They stick close to the ground and remain very understated compared to some of their compatriots. But why should we forget about them? They deserve to be fed too. This is where the ground platform feeders come into the equation. Placement of ground feeders are more suitable near a bush or some shrubbery to provide peace of mind to the birds as an escape route from predators.

If cardinals are in your neck of the woods, you’re going to see a lot of them at your ground feeders. If they had to choose their last meal on Earth, they’d pick sunflower seeds every time.

Hanging platform feeder

The beauty of hanging platform feeders is their versatility. Not everyone wants to position a pole in their garden to accommodate a traditional platform feeder for aesthetic reasons. However, many do have somewhere readymade to hang their feeder from, such as a tree or a shed.

Don’t forget, there’s always the option to place your hanging feeder close but not directly on the ground. You’d do this to protect your stock from any opportunistic prying eyes like mice. Food isn’t cheap y’know!

Fly through bird feeders

This is where the quirky ones among us really shine. Fly through bird feeders are generally more ornamental and, therefore, more popular. As the elaboration increases so does the price but you get what you pay for in this world. A lot of them look like cute, miniature houses with avian inhabitants.

As well as their platform feeding design, the roofs protect the birds using it from any predators which could come from above. Snow and rain are going to ruin any food you put out which creates an added expense for you and prevents your birds from getting the nutrients they need to survive.

hopper bird feeders

Now we’re getting onto the enclosed styles with the hopper bird feeders. These are also on the decorative side and, if you choose the correct style, will have you neighbours expressing how jealous they are.

Everyone who’s ever attempted to lure birds to their garden has had trouble with squirrels, it’s law of nature. Protected seeds and nuts mean there’s less chance of squirrels being able to steal the stash whenever they feel like it. You’ll also experience less wastage from the birds flinging it all any which way.

Suet Feeders

Is there anything more attractive than seeds suspended in melted and then re-solidified animal fat? To a woodpecker, the answer is no. Suet feeders are extremely energy-dense food sources but you have to be mindful to only place them outside in the winter, ensuring no meltage. Should it melt in the spring or summer during egg incubation, the fat transferred to the belly feathers will clog pores in the egg shell. These pores are essential to embryo health by allowing oxygen to diffuse across the barrier.

As well as seeds you can also suspend pieces of fruit, mealworms, peanuts or insects to increase the nutrients for a balanced bird diet. There are various guises of suet feeder: suet cage, suet logs, mesh bags and open trays.

Window Bird Feeders

Getting up close and personal with nature is always the goal, no matter what you pursue. If you’re new to birding you may want to buy a feeder which attached to the outside of the window. Imagine eating your cereal and a cardinal zeroing in for her breakfast. That’d make you happy, right? Start the day off the way it should.

The majority of window feeders attach to the glass via suction pads, meaning you can strategically position them out of the way of unintentional visitors incapable of climbing up the panes. Don’t forget, you’re going to have to re-fill these regularly so don’t go getting too adventurous in your placement.

window bird feeder with one-way mirror

The benefit of the one-way mirror on a bird feeder is clear, they can’t see you whilst they’re gorging themselves on peanuts but you get a cinematic view. If they can’t see you then they’re much less likely to get nervous and fly off, giving you a more authentic experience.

Here’s a tip that you’d do well to follow if you have noisy dogs - buy one. When Gary the Jack Russell can see a finch two metres from him, silence will fall. Predatory instincts are still there deep within and rise to the surface when the stimulus