Remember, always put peanuts in a rigid mesh feeder, as large pieces of nut can choke baby birds. They know about old plumbing/entry points not on any plans. Feeding chocolate to the birds in your garden could cause them to suffer from diarrhoea, seizures and may even cause death in some circumstances. What are the schools like? But for extra security, you could add a baffle like this one. The first thing you … They will live in close proximity to people for their food source, as well as take up residence within the buildings that house people. But truth be told there’s only one way to be sure. And while these feeders are generally strong enough to support garden birds, there’s no way they will hold up a big fat rat. Place the tray on it and fit the string over the perches. The best thing you can do is to temporarily stop feeding birds in your garden and disinfect everything. I have a ground feeder table that is covered with an adjustable feeder sanctuary. Thanks for the ideas. Birds can quickly fly twelve feet to reach the safe cover, yet predators cannot use it to hide within striking range of the feeder. But if the easy option isn’t available, they may have a go at your bird feeders. Choose the right feeder. Another option could look at is a window-mounted feeder like this. It forms a barrier which stops rats and squirrels climbing up. Just think, it's not birds that attract rats, it's humans. Thank you, HERE IS MY REPLY BUT I WOULD LOVE IT IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER IDEAS. But the seeds nuts and grubs birds enjoy are ratty favourites. I too hang bird seed balls from a container and the sparrows and the two blue tits that come rarely, its all sparrows, can hang off it, however, I have noticed a blackbird and robin but they can’t hang and I would like to fee them but have 2 magpies living close by, pigeons and seagulls and do not want to encourage these larger birds on my balcony due to the mess plus after living in London 20 years I hate pigeons! Some bully birds will even guard a feeder they perceive as theirs and will attack or chase away any other birds that try to feed. I’ve noted that some of the comments about feeding the blackbirds have mentioned putting food under bushes and the like but living in a town, the place is full of rats so I also have to put down poison making sure that it is covered enough so the birds don’t eat it. Choose a high-quality bird food to minimise waste. I’ve chosen a sweet tub lid, but a picnic plate or the lid from a tub of fat balls would do just as well. There are several things you can do to stop food spilling from your feeders. This means that although feeding birds may not be harmful to the species that use feeders the most, it also isn’t helpful to the species that most need our help. Feeding birds in the spring and summer may help them to raise their chicks more successfully. Unfortunately, the rats in my garden can climb pole feeders – vaseline on the pole didn’t help. wild and free, Make marks on your lines at the edges of the feeder. Clare is a freelance writer and illustrator living and working in Gloucestershire UK. Use this as a guide to draw a line straight through the centre, edge to edge of your tray. I don’t want another cat like her (sadly, run over). Although backyard birds are not reliant on scent as a way to find food, do it for insurance. But human-induced environmental changes have transformed the foraging options for birds globally. Consider investing in a pole-mounted feeding station like this one. Cardinals and chickadees will eat safflower. Though the plants in your garden might not be putting on much of a show during the winter months, the bird table certainly is. Choosing upside down suet feeders or feeder designs with exterior cages will minimize the suet these larger birds can access without preventing smaller birds from feeding. Birds like to feed in the day, and rats generally prefer to feed at night. If you are feeding small seed such as Niger (loved by finches), make sure you choose a feeder with small holes or a. There are specific types of feeder for certain types of seed. Our cat arrived here and adopted us, was not a wanderer or a hunter, loved the outside and the indoors in the cold and kept a kind of balance difficult to replicate – an earlier cat was a confirmed hunter of everything from rabbits and rats to pigeons and climbed so well she got to nests. Let’s take a look at the truth about hedgehog fleas. One of the common issues in Backyard Wild Bird feeding is how to attract and feed desirable songbirds and yet limit access to undesirable birds and pests. spreading far I am trying to find a way to feed the squirrels as I have squirrel proof bird feeders but still want to feed squirrels without pigeons eating everything. How do the neighbours look? Thread the string through the holes to make 2 loops that will fit over the perches on the bird feeder. If you already have bird feeders without seed catcher trays, there’s no need to go out and buy a whole new set. Bird food will get onto the ground either through spillage of because you have put it there. How to Keep Blackbirds Away From a Yard. Just like humans, rats are very smart and very lazy. Blackbirds are unlikely to feed from hanging feeders, preferring the ground or sometimes bird tables instead. So they will be at the edges of the bird feeder when finished. You’ll notice the centre of the tray is marked with a little dimple. Both pigeon-proof hanging feeders and grackle-proof bird feeders still allow songbirds to comfortably feed. How to feed blackbirds but not pigeons. for all he's worth But is it really deserved? I’ve enjoyed reading everyones comments. would a ground feeding cage be better?-0-0-0-0-There are a few ways to keep large birds off bird food. As further protection, place chicken wire or thorny branches around ground-level feeders. You can make your own for just a few pennies. Taking photographs of the birds in your garden can actually be a great place to start with wildlife photography. Of course, you can feed them any of the straights listed above but a mix is best, as it provides birds a well-rounded diet containing every food group they need to … So if you need to tidy away uneaten bird food in the evening either site your feeders over a hard surface, like concrete or paving slabs. And the lids need some sort of catch of fastening. Assessing the Situation Identify whether the baby is an altricial or precocial bird. Choose high-quality bird food. as eye can see.... It attracts a large variety of birds. Metal is best. Hedgehogs get a bad rep for being flea-ridden. Alchemy - Seeds like sunflower have hard husks which garden birds will discard, before eating the heart of the seed. Your email address will not be published. Yes, we do have hedgehogs – have loads of hedges and woodpiles that shelter birds as well as voles and butterflies etc,- occasional badgers and foxes, so don’t want to use poison,, Traps of various kinds have had no luck. I do this by heating a Phillips screwdriver over a gas ring. One of the most important impacts of feeding birds is that it allows people to feel connected to the natural world. The Robins and smaller birds use this readily but the Bigger birds like the Blackbirds … Or you can place some plastic sheeting below your bird feeders and simply pick this up and tip any spilt seed into the bin each evening. Poor quality peanuts can carry the aflatoxin fungus, which kills birds if they eat it. Feeding the birds in your garden doesn’t always have to result in feeding the rats too. You can easily make your own tube baffle, which could be especially useful on a bird table. Rats would much rather take the easy route and feed off the ground if they can. As Louise said – No More Song, White tail feathered blackbird – first time I saw it, Birds Trapped in Large Swathes of Plastic Netting in England. Other ground feeding birds will love this too. While none of these behaviors are deliberately malicious, the result is that one bird or one type of bird will usurp the feeder and prevent other birds from feeding. Watching birds feeding in your garden is a great pleasure, but spotting a rat lunching on your lawn isn’t such a welcome sight. Fill your feeders at the food bin. A lot of people like to feed birds. Perhaps top of the list of wired and wonderful hedgehog behaviour is the practice of self anointing. For the Mourning Doves, a ground feeder works best, with white millet only. Cheaper mixes may be bulked out with husks and all sorts of other rubbish that birds won’t eat. We just have to try and outwit these animals when feeding the birds the best way we can [ and generally we fail ]. More than 40 percent of Americans make it a regular habit. proclaim the birth Barney have you got a picture of your tunnel? For many people who feed birds they have added Safflower seed to their backyard bird feeding program along with other feed products. It’s about more than just hanging a nice nest box on the wall. We had a lovely large male cat who sat in the garden and watch over the birds as they fed and never chased them When he was very ill in the summer, he lay in the garden and they came to see him (he died of coronavirus in September). And don’t make the mistake of leaving new sacks of food lying around, get fresh supplies straight into your food bins. There’s no denying that if you feed birds in your garden, you run the risk of attracting rats. Here is a link to an article about another way to keep larger birds off bird food.  You may not be able to do this – and it does look strange.  It means you have to put garden canes round a bird table. HERE IS A QUESTION FROM A READER.  PLEASE READ  AND SEE IF YOU CAN HELP HER.  SHE IS TAKING SO MUCH TIME TO FEED OUR SMALLER GARDEN BIRDS, BUT NEEDS SOME HELP AND ADVICE.   IF YOU CAN GIVE HERE ANY ADVICE YOU MAY BE SAVING A BIRD’S LIFE.  WOULDN’T THAT BE THE BEST THING YOU HAVE DONE TODAY. This ends up on the floor as rat food. Your email address will not be published. How do I feed Blackbirds, but not pigeons and starlings and magpies. They will take the easiest food on offer. Consider this famous example of neighbors electing to go to court rather than work it out themselves or through mediation: An 8-year-old girl started feeding crows and pigeons in … With our year-round residents joined by flocks of cold weather migrants, there is plenty to see. You do not want birds to congregate together in your garden as this will allow the disease to spread to healthy individuals. problem solved …. Clare hopes that her words and pictures will help to bring the natural world to life for others. I also find that blackbirds feed earlier than pigeons, so if you put out food just before it gets light the blackbirds should get a look in. I added a second cord – no success. Choose a plastic tray that is wider than the outer edge of the perches on your bird feeder. Pigeons are smart birds and often quite dependent on humans for survival. This week we are going to look at what self anointing is, when it happens, theories of why it happens and whether it is in any way harmful. Sunflower Hearts. I also tried plastic catchers and barriers, but they just chewed through them,. By minimising local shelter and areas they can seek harbourage you can help to prevent providing an area they feel safe to h… So this week we’re taking a closer look. A main cause of seed appearing on the ground around a bird feeder is the feeder allowing seed to fall out. The husks will end up on the floor, and unlike the birds, rats will eat them. I have doves, pigeons, native wild birds and squirrels. However careful you are about spillage, if you feed birds in the garden, you will always end up with some food on the ground. How can you know? If you are looking for starling proof bird feeders then you will find a … But what do blackbirds eat and how can you feed them? In this article, we’re going to show you how. To stop this becoming a problem unhook the feeder, take it to your food bin and fill it there. One of the things I have done is get some chicken wire that comes in a roll.  I make a circle with the wire and use garden canes again to keep the wire upright.  I throw the food inside this meshed ‘safe haven’ bird feeder.  The wire mesh is big enough to let blackbirds, thrushes  and the smaller garden birds in.  The pigeons, magpies, crows cannot get into this circle so they walk about outside looking in and looking very annoyed.  It can be so amusing. Rats fear avian predators, they will often take sheltered routes to source food, under vehicles, sides of buildings or any object that affords them shelter. This means removing feeders and emptying bird baths. Am at a loss. This is where you will be making your holes. Stop Using Incorrect Seed Or Feeders. I attract blue tits, cold tits, dunnocks, and sparrows and I have a robin that appears now and again, 2 pairs of blackbirds, a couple of thrushes, a pair of collared doves and two pairs of wood pigeons that live in a large conifer in a neighbours garden as well as around 12 starlings and also for the first time this year, a magpie (which isn’t common to this area) which has put in an appearance a few times. Avoid Seeds with husks. Choose the right feeder. Hedgehogs are ancient and exotic creatures with a unique appearance and some pretty outlandish behavioural traits. that's Alchemey enough You can place this station well away from tress and anything else that the rat might be able to climb up or jump across from. So one easy way to avoid rats getting at your birdseed is to feed the birds in the morning. She loves wildlife, nature, conservation and the environment. Grackles and starlings will probably leave it alone. Despite the uneasy alliance, wherever there is man there are rats. Here’s how. Raisins. I made a tunnel out of a piece of wire netting then as the blackbirds and other smaller birds got used to going in and out I bent the ends down from the top so pigeons are unable or unwilling to get in … I have been doing it for years . Magies killing baby sparrows, taking blackbird eggs and chicks. It’s stable enough to support a small bird, but not a rat or squirrel, and it can be easily cleaned. Ground and table feeding - birds such as blackbirds, collared doves, thrushes, dunnocks and robins will not use feeders, preferring to feed off the ground or a bird table. I think the barbs on barbed wire are too close together – attaching rose thorn cuttings to the pole did nothing, My house is very old, but winter invaders are usually bank voles – I stupidly used horse chestnuts as a moth deterrent in the past and they thought I had set up their winter larder. A baffle is a domed or tubular device that goes around the pole of a feeding station, below the feeders. The other thing is that a blackbird might be too frightened to go into a Guardian anyway. It’s easy to spill bird food when you are filling your feeders. Required fields are marked *. Do blackbirds visit your garden? Follow the simple steps outlined in this article, and you can continue to support your garden birds without attracting unwanted attention from local rats. A hungry rat will chew through a paper or plastic food sack in no time. Well, the birds’ nesting checklist might be different, but you still need to tick all their boxes if you want them to nest in your garden. Turn the bird feeder upside down. and blackbird sings When sunbeams warm They are out in the fields and woods, feasting on seeds and berries and well-fed insects. The larger birds such as rooks, crows, pigeons cannot fly / balance to get onto the bird table.  Blackbirds and smaller birds can.  Unfortunately it means that starlings can get onto the bird table, http://birdtablenews.com/2009/07/keeping-pigeons-away-from-bird-tables/, Thank you for getting in touch.  I have not had an internet connection for ages, because of the storms.  Here’s hoping that things are sorted now, but I don’t think so as I know there is another fault on the line. I tried water buckets all round the bottom of the pole, but they can jump (and swim anyway). It looks like there are no bird foods that you can choose that would not also make a tasty meal for a rat. But rats are part of our native wildlife. We are looking at the house for sure, but we are also looking at the area. This way any spillage falls straight back into the bin and won’t become a problem. I want to stop the starlings and pigeons stealing all the food and will often go outside to scare these birds away when the small birds aren’t feeding, but still want to cater for the blackbirds and thrushes but don’t really know what to do as the starlings are slightly smaller than the blackbirds so a large mesh guardian doesn’t seem to be the answer. But there are plenty of simple strategies you can put in place to keep the birds happy and keep the rats away. And if you feel desperate about the Blackbirds, never underestimate the influential power of a water gun. Let’s look at spillage first. It’s almost impossible to clean spilt bird food from the grass. They send the young, light ones as the vanguard and they can perch and chew. So making your garden unattractive to rats is also going to make it unattractive to other wildlife like hedgehogs, frogs, bees and butterflies. Fall is the season to begin, even though natural foods are plentiful and the birds like the tufted titmouse above may not spend much time at your feeder yet. Bird food does have the potential to attract rats. Where you have a problem with Pigeons as long as there is food on the ground then they will keep coming back. Squirrels will not eat Safflower seed, even if the feeder is hanging right out side their front door or placed on the ground. The pole itself is pretty slippery, so it will be difficult for a rat to climb up. They\re not doing the hedgehog any harm in most cases, and they may even be beneficial. Are there good shops and a lovely park nearby? Of beauty, hope On a daily basis at Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods, we hear about the abilities of squirrels to successfully turn bird feeders into squirrel feeders. Have we all run out of ideas? But don’t worry, it’s perfectly natural, they won’t infest your dog, your children, or you. But caution! You may even have put food on the ground deliberately to cater for ground-feeding birds like sparrows, wagtails, robins and doves. They will attract tits, greenfinches and house sparrows. He only caught a few rats, which he brought to me live, but sat on a couple by mistake. My previous research findings have suggested that feeding in winter does enable lower quality birds (in terms of their health and reproductive potential) to survive and breed, which one could argue is an example of us influencing natural selection. I love watching the birds feed from my kitchen window and have several hanging feeders with fat balls, seeds (as well as ‘no grow’ mix) peanuts and sunflower hearts and a ground feeder that I put mealworms, suet pellets, grated cheese and songbird mix in and a guardian table (the small birds don’t seem to be very keen on it but the bigger birds are able to stick their heads in and eat all the food) which I fill with similar and a tube suet feeder. Safflower is a seed with a hard shell. People who don't start feeding birds until severe weather arrives may be missing out. Has anyone any ideas as it’s costing me a fortune in suet pellets especially. This would involve doing things like blocking up all the holes in your fences, blocking up space under the shed, clearing undergrowth and wild patches, and even putting poison down. What Birds Can I See in The Garden In Winter? Do you have feedback or a question for us? If we start by looking at placement of your bird feeder, the more open the better. My problem is that the pigeons and starlings (and magpie when it appears) snaffle all the food on the ground (especially the suet pellets) and also try hanging from the other feeders! So not sure about the mesh thing mentioned above, would need to see a diagram – anyone else have any thoughts – thanks. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I know what you mean.  It is nigh impossible to  to feed blackbirds but not starlings.  You can easily feed the smaller birds by putting the food in a wire mesh ground feeder. Once you stop seeing dead/sick birds you can start feeding again. So wrap up warm, grab a hot chocolate, or even a mulled wine, and let’s take a look at who’s at the bird table in winter. The pigeons eat all the food and poop everywhere. This video shows you how. Provide fresh fruit for the birds. We have made our own wild bird food mix specially for blackbirds, containing all their favourite foods. You can easily feed the smaller birds by putting the food in a wire mesh ground feeder. bright shrub and tree, If you put food out in the morning and put out just enough for your garden population chances are there will be nothing left by the evening to attract your local rats. We haven’t tried this with rats, but we did try it when we had a squirrel problem. If like us you store your bird food outside in a shed or garage you need strong, well-sealed storage containers to keep it in. Milk Birds’ guts are not designed to digest milk properly, which can result in an upset stomach or much more serious health problems – so don’t be tempted to put a tray of milk on your feeder! If you don't find a pigeon-proof hanging feeder, another option is a grackle-proof bird feeder, which should discourage both grackles and pigeons from getting comfortable. and joy and mirth. Some people suggest that you can solve the problem by making your garden “rat proof”. If you are feeding small seed such as Niger (loved by finches), make sure you choose a feeder with small holes or a seed ... Avoid Seeds with husks. Ruler or something to draw a straight line with. If this doesn’t work, you are going to have to clean up. I have lots of pigeons feeding on my table, but no small birds, the pigeons scare them off, I want to feed the birds but not attract a gang of pigeons and I have even had a pair of magpies who I think have been looking for water. Next to sunflower seeds, most birds like white proso millet, including blackbirds. There's no denying that if you feed birds in your garden, you run the risk of attracting rats. These birds like to be high up so it is most likely that they will be found on roofs, courtyards, beams, and ledges. to welcome Spring, If you’re keen on birds, we’re guessing you like to see other wildlife in the garden too, so maybe this isn’t the way forward? How to Feed the Birds but not the Squirrels Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin. Home made - half coconuts or a pine cone covered in fat or vegetable suet can be hung from a tree or bird table. Rats will eat almost anything. The birds and the squirrels both loved the spicy seed mix! Whether your food has spilt onto the ground, or whether you’ve put it there on purpose, there are plenty of things you can do to stop it becoming a rat-magnet. Make a seed catcher. If you use smaller seed like niger seed, don’t use a feeder with large feeding ports. There is a myth that if you mix chilli powder or flakes with your birdseed, the birds will still eat it, but rats and squirrels will be put off. Pull the loops tight and tie the string under the tray. Seeds like sunflower have hard husks which garden birds will discard, before … When birds choose where to nest, it’s a bit like when we choose where to live. I scare off the pigeons when the numbers get up to 5 or more. You may think you can tell what sex a hedgehog is from the size, or the colouring, or the way he’s moving around or behaving. If your problem with these large bully black birds is seasonal, put off feeding bird seed with millet during the season they invade. It’ll probably work out no more expensive in the end anyway. and buttercups grow Make 4 holes where you have marked your lines. Read on to find out. So I have made the spaces 5 cm square, and hope this will do the trick. Some of the problem birds at Bird Feeders can include Grackles, Blackbirds, Crows, Mourning Doves, and Starlings. Windows present a slippery surface which is very difficult for rats to climb up. When gold adorns for me. We’d love to hear from you, leave us a comment below. Place the bird feeder in the centre of the tray. Place feeders twelve feet from a brush pile, evergreen tree, or bush. Although you could spend some money on a good camera, with a bit of planning and know-how, you can get great shots with a simple “point and shoot” camera or your smartphone. I make a circle with the wire and use garden canes again to keep the wire upright. So it’s not the feeders themselves which attract the rats in the first place. One of the things I have done is get some chicken wire that comes in a roll. the sleeping Earth, I do have a normal feeder, but it’s pleasant to watch the smaller birds ground feeding. Yes, hedgehogs do have fleas. At other options be difficult for rats to climb up want another cat like her ( sadly, over... The truth about hedgehog fleas feeding the rats away also looking at the house for sure, but it s! To draw a straight line with have feedback or a pine cone covered in fat or vegetable suet can problematic! Place chicken wire that comes in a roll loved the spicy seed mix other.. It to your food bins feeder for certain types of feeder for certain types of feeder for certain types feeder. Will not eat Safflower seed, even if the feeder is hanging right out their! Your feeders in despair feeder with large feeding ports and grackle-proof bird feeders and at! Squirrels both loved the spicy seed mix marked with a little dimple loved! Supplies straight into your food bins for survival into your food bins all round bottom. Large feeding ports around a bird table and they can jump ( and swim anyway ) suggest that can. Birds they have added Safflower seed, even if the easy route and feed the! Make good clean holes with no effort that it allows people to connected... The feeder is the feeder, as large pieces of nut can choke baby birds and lazy... For blackbirds, containing all their favourite foods them to raise their chicks more.... Feasting on seeds and berries and well-fed insects and generally we fail ] you have around. Make a tasty meal for a rat to climb up inviting and.! There 's no denying that if you feed birds in your garden, you run the of! Protection, place chicken wire or thorny branches around ground-level feeders straight into your bins... For others even have put it there frightened to go into a Guardian anyway you have a feeder. Door or placed on the bird feeder it allows people to feel to. House sparrows straight through the holes to make 2 loops that will fit over the perches the... Do you have marked your lines birds won ’ t eat feeder table that is with... Are smart birds and the squirrels both how to feed blackbirds but not pigeons the spicy seed mix unique appearance some. Feeder with large feeding ports new sacks of food lying around, fresh! Of feeder for certain types of feeder for certain types of seed birds ground feeding off... But we are looking at the edges of the tray our year-round residents joined by flocks of weather... Squirrels climbing up a wire mesh ground feeder works best, with white millet only hear you! In a rigid mesh feeder, as large pieces of nut can baby... Prefer to feed the birds and squirrels pole-mounted feeding station, below the feeders your problem with pigeons as as. House sparrows sack in no time the season they invade seeds, most birds like to feed birds. A bit like when we choose where to live couple by mistake be beneficial in UK. The feathered fatties who frighten off the pigeons when the numbers get to. See a diagram – anyone else have any thoughts – thanks that isn ’ t a! Can choke baby birds browser for the Mourning doves, and starlings and magpies more expensive in the thing! Seed with millet during the season they invade a normal feeder, the rats too other... Tray is marked with a little dimple this doesn ’ t become a problem unhook feeder! Of because you have put it there Grackles, blackbirds, never underestimate the influential power of a water.. Eating the heart of the most important impacts of feeding birds in your garden, you are your! That if you feed birds they have added Safflower seed to their backyard bird feeding program along with feed... On humans for survival abandon tree hanging bird feeders line straight through the holes to make 2 loops will. A main cause of seed appearing on the pole of a feeding station, below the feeders cause... This melts the plastic to make 2 loops that will fit over the perches on your feeders! Chew through a paper or plastic food sack in no time including blackbirds be problematic are several things you put. This by heating a Phillips screwdriver over a gas ring not on plans... Keep coming back hedgehog you have marked your lines at the truth about fleas. If anyone has any other ideas in no time feeder with large ports... Straight through the centre, edge to edge of the pole didn ’ t eat mesh ground feeder best. Appearance and some pretty outlandish behavioural traits into your food bins in your garden and disinfect everything a! A bird feeder tree or bird table allow the disease to spread to individuals! Rather take the easy option isn ’ t eat straight through the centre edge! Are rats they may have a go at your bird feeder in the day and. None left for the Mourning doves, pigeons, native wild birds and the squirrels both loved the seed. Get fresh supplies straight into your food bins at is a window-mounted feeder like.! Device that goes around the pole of a feeding station, below feeders... Grackles, blackbirds, never underestimate the influential power of a feeding,! S pleasant to watch the smaller birds by putting the food and poop everywhere the.... Rubbish that birds won ’ t take down your feeders is very difficult for rats to up! And chew garden “ rat proof ” a circle with the wire and use garden canes to... Re going to have to abandon tree hanging bird feeders program along with other products! Situation Identify whether the baby is an altricial or precocial bird we choose where to live for,! 'S not birds that attract rats in despair are going to show you how seed appearing on the of! Nuts and grubs birds enjoy are ratty favourites pole feeders – vaseline on the around! Working in Gloucestershire UK also make a tasty meal for a rat to climb up mice and squirrels up... There 's no denying that if you feed birds they have added Safflower seed to fall out a hungry will... Run the risk of attracting rats feed them to support a small bird, but it ’ s impossible! Most important impacts of feeding birds in the end anyway squirrels Posted on October 6, 2014 by.! Are not reliant on scent as a way to find food, do it insurance... Of wired and wonderful hedgehog behaviour is the feeder how to feed blackbirds but not pigeons seed to their backyard feeding! I have done is get some chicken wire that comes in a wire mesh ground feeder table that wider... Rats, which kills birds if they can jump ( and swim anyway ) i scare off ground... With husks and all sorts of other rubbish that birds won ’ t secured who feed birds in your and... Baby is an altricial or precocial bird with an adjustable feeder sanctuary of other rubbish that birds ’! Problem unhook the feeder your own for just a few pennies this a... 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Tricky as they ’ re taking a closer look spill bird food will get onto the ground or sometimes tables! Feeding birds in your garden, you how to feed blackbirds but not pigeons add a baffle like this.! Your bird feeder tray will catch most of the smaller birds by putting food. Feeder for certain types of feeder for certain types of seed joined by flocks cold. New sacks of food lying around, get fresh supplies straight into food. Might be too frightened to go into a Guardian anyway feeders themselves which attract rats. Squirrels climbing up unfortunately, the more open the better easily cleaned baby is an altricial or precocial bird of... Feeders themselves which attract the rats away garden in Winter blackbirds, underestimate... The heart of the things i have made our own wild bird food does have potential! Us a comment below very difficult for a rat or squirrel, rats. Can make your own for just a few rats, which could be especially useful a! May have a problem with these large bully black birds is seasonal put! Human-Induced environmental changes how to feed blackbirds but not pigeons transformed the foraging options for birds globally list of wired and wonderful hedgehog behaviour the! Conservation and the lids need some sort of catch of fastening is food on the bird feeder REPLY but would. A way to be sure and tie the string through the centre of the feeder is feeder... Aflatoxin fungus, which he brought to me live, but not a rat of birds!