What birdfeeder choices are available?

Several types of bird feeders can be used to attract different types of birds. All are available at Backyard Living.

Tray or platform feeder - Imagine a buffet table that has been loaded with food for all your aunts, uncles and cousins. Since trays and platform feeders do not include perches, they are especially amenable to ground-feeding birds such as doves and Blue Jays. Cardinals are also on the frequent diner plan at platform feeders, so save us a window seat.

House or hopper feeder - If you like lots of company, this is the feeder for you. You can load them up with any type of seed and let the party begin. Since these feeders usually have a roof to keep the seed dry, there will be no need to schedule any rain dates.

Hanging feeder - Our personal favorite in this category is the Thistle feeder. It attracts New Jersey's very own state bird - the American goldfinch - by offering a perfectly wonderful buffet of Nyjer seed, which is high in fat and protein content.

Suet feeder - If you don't include suet feeders in your backyard birding habitat, you will be missing out on some pretty colorful characters. Suet feeders are great for woodpecker, nuthatch, tufted titmouse, bluebird and cardinal watching. Suet includes rendered fat that has been melted and then formed into a solid cake that also includes nuts and seed, so birds just can't get enough of it during the cold winter months.

Hummingbird feeder - Here is a question - if you were eating breakfast across from a creature barely four inches long whose heart is beating 1,200 times per minute, wouldn't you put down the paper to gaze out the window at this ruby-throated apparition? We say you would, especially since it would have been romantic you who had thought to hang a hummingbird feeder outside your breakfast nook window.

Window feeder - These simple constructions can be mounted to a window with suction cups. They are perfect for apartment dwellers and anyone else who thinks that sitting in an armchair, reading a book and drinking a glass of Cabernet while red-breasted house finches flutter outside the sunroom window is a pretty good way to spend the afternoon.


Check with your Backyard Living sales associate to choose the feeders that match your viewing preferences and personal style.

Does it matter which birdseed I purchase?

Yes. Different feeders can have different sized holes. For example, thistle feeders have very small holes that have been cut for Nyjer seed. (Could it be that thistle feeders are Nature's very own doormen?) Plus, different types of birds are attracted to different types of seed. Since higher quality seed mixes include more of the good stuff and less of the filler that picky birds simply toss aside, it makes sense to choose the better blends. So before you open your backyard to serve just about anything to just about anybody, check with your Backyard Living sales associate for the seed that is right for you.

How can I protect against seedsnatchers?

Let's face it - seedsnatchers have all day and you don't. You have a job to do, bills to pay, children to feed and e-mail messages to which you must reply. At Backyard Living we can supply the weapons that will help keep busy you one step ahead of squirrels, chipmunks, starlings, grackles and the occasional wily coyote. It can be a bitter battle beneath the bird feeder, but with Backyard Living on your side you will be able to experience the thrill of victory.

Here's a good tip to help anticipate seedsnatchers: Store all seed kept in your garage or shed in a metal garbage can to protect it from pesky varmints.

Should I feed birds during the summer?

Recommending tough love, some so-called bird development experts opine that birds can find their own food during the temperate months. We say you only live once. And we want our backyard filled with avian warblers year round.

Can I count feeding the birds in my backyard as a good deed?

We think so. You will certainly be doing a good deed for the birds, as they will be getting a tasty, nutritious meal. You will be doing something nice for your neighbors, because the birds will pass through their backyards. And you will be rewarding yourself with many hours of viewing pleasure and a hobby that is enjoyed by millions. Plus, you will get to spend even more time outside in your backyard.

Given recent declines in the housing industry, is this a good time to purchase a bird house?

Absolutely. Notes purloined from a recent Federal Reserve meeting show that high quality bird houses purchased at Backyard Living retain their value. Whether you are looking for a Connecticut Retreat, Irish Cottage or Lazy Hill House, you and your bird friends will derive years of comfort and pleasure from your selection.

Honestly, do birds really need a bath?

No. But it is you we are thinking about. By placing a birdbath in your backyard you get to add an attractive piece of furniture. Plus, you will give the birds another reason to stop by for a visit. Check with your Backyard Living Sales Associate for the birdbath that is right for Y-O-U.

What is a birding habitat?

Birds need three things to thrive - food, water and shelter. To be able to look yourself in the mirror and honestly say you are providing a habitat for these winged creatures that can bring so much pleasure, you must also be able to look out your window and see that all three of these are available in your backyard. Your Backyard Living sales associate will help you to assemble a birding habitat, with no extra charge for your self esteem.