A feast of facts on bird feeders

WHAT does an eco-dad get his three-year-old for Christmas?

The answer, it turned out, was a litter picker and bird feeders!

They went down a treat, especially the litter picker. Less so the bird feeders.

We put them up on Christmas Day – one in the garden outside our block of flats and one on a tree across the road.

Two weeks later, I’ve not seen a bird on them. It got me thinking... how do birds find feeders and what makes them stay?

1. Birds mainly find feeders using sight – either by recognising the food inside or by recognising the feeder itself as a food source.

2. It can take weeks for birds to find a feeder – even longer in urban areas where they don’t normally visit.

3. Birds prefer silver and green feeders, while red and yellow ones are avoided.

4. Don’t scrimp on seed. Cheaper bags are bulked up with split peas, dried rice or lentils. Only bigger birds like pigeons eat these and they may scare off smaller species.

5. If a feeder is nearer cover, such as a hedge or tree, birds are more likely to use it.

6. Buy squirrel-proof feeders to stop them scaring birds away.