Where a feeder hangs matters as much as what goes in it. Placement affects how safe birds are from collisions and predators, how easily you can watch them, and how much mess ends up below.
Distance from windows
Window collisions are a common cause of backyard bird injury. The counter-intuitive guidance is to place feeders either very close to the glass or well away from it:
- Within roughly half a metre of a window, so a startled bird cannot reach harmful speed.
- Or more than about three metres away, so reflections are less likely to be read as open sky.
The awkward middle distance is where most strikes happen. External screens or patterned window markings further reduce reflections.
Cover, but not too close
Birds prefer feeding near shrubs or low branches they can retreat to. Place feeders a couple of metres from cover: close enough for a quick escape, far enough that a cat or other predator cannot launch an ambush from within it.
Seed choices for Canadian winters
| Seed / food | Attracts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black-oil sunflower | Chickadees, nuthatches, finches | High fat content suits cold weather; thin shells |
| Nyjer (thistle) | Goldfinches, redpolls | Use a fine-port feeder to limit waste |
| Suet | Woodpeckers, nuthatches | Useful energy source in freezing temperatures |
| White millet | Juncos, sparrows | Best offered low or scattered on the ground |
In freezing conditions, avoid offering anything that traps moisture or freezes into a solid block birds cannot break apart. Keep portions small enough to be eaten within a day or two.
Keeping feeders clean
Crowded, damp feeders can contribute to the spread of disease among songbirds. Rinse feeders periodically, let them dry, and discard seed that has gone mouldy. If you notice sick or dead birds in your yard, public guidance from Environment and Climate Change Canada may recommend temporarily taking feeders down.