Any bird watching enthusiast will tell you that life is all about birds. Birds are an integral part of a backyard wildlife. They are interesting creatures that add color, energy and life to yards, not only in the spring and summer but, also, in the cold and dreary days of winter. The best way to invite these playful creatures into your yard is to provide them with the things that they need to live—shelter, water and food. Below, we will discuss the things that need to be considered in order to choose the proper bird feeder.

When trying to decide what kind of bird feeder is the one that meets your feathered friends’ needs, you must know what kind of birds you are trying to attract.

• Platform feeders attract birds like cardinals, blackbirds and wrens—ones that feed from the edge.

• Suet feeders are designed to hold suet cakes for birds such as mockingbirds, creepers, woodpeckers, jays and bluebirds.

• Tube feeders are the preference of birds that like to perch such as woodpeckers, finches, chickadees and titmice. They have perches and feeder holes at different levels.

• Hummingbird feeders do, exactly, what their name says. They accommodate the long bills of hummingbirds.

Consideration should be given that the bird feeder is weather resistant. Metal bird feeders can, also, heat up very quickly in the summer so that wooden feeders should be given preference or the metal feeder should be kept out of direct sunlight. Also, it is very important that the bird feeder can be cleaned and filled very easily. Usually, a roof that opens or is removed easily will handle that concern.

Another consideration that must be taken seriously is the placement of the bird feeder. Some birds are shy and will not feed from feeders that are too exposed. Others, on the other hand like feeders to which they can swoop in while flying across a yard. Placing a feeder near a tree or large shrub will provide natural cover for the shy birds. Placing feeders near a dogwood provides shy birds with a sense of safety during the winter months.

Also, one may keep in mind that providing multiple feeders of different styles will encourage different species of birds. However, they should be spaced apart to encourage different species and avoid fighting amongst the species.