Where to hang a bird feeder

Birds use a feeder that feels like a brief stop, not a room they have to share with a cat. The RSPB describes the place. They do not give a distance in metres on the page we opened, so this guide does not invent “two metres from a bush” or “one metre from the window”.

What the RSPB asks for

• Quiet. Somewhere birds are not constantly disturbed.
• A view, and an exit. Not so close to a bush that a predator can hide in it, but close enough that a bird can dash to cover. They say birds like to see around themselves while they feed.
• Not under a perch or a nest. Branches overhead drop faeces into the food. The BTO hygiene page says the same: do not put feeders under places where birds perch or roost.
• More than one possible spot. Move the feeder so waste does not build up. The RSPB’s later wording is a different spot every week, if the garden allows. The BTO says several sites, rotated, and different foods at different sites so seed-eaters and insect-eaters are not all in one queue.

It can take a while for birds to find a new feeder. An empty week is not proof the place is wrong.

Windows

We did not open a page that states a safe distance from glass, so there is no figure here. What we can say from the RSPB is that window feeders, as a type, are on the list of flat feeders they say not to use, because of disease rather than because of collisions. A hanging feeder further out into the garden fits that advice better than one stuck to the pane.

Balconies

A balcony often has one hook and no second spot to rotate to. Use one hanging feeder, not a tray, and do not throw seed on the floor or over the rail. If you cannot move it weekly, be stricter about how much you put out: the RSPB wants seed eaten in one or two days, and the area underneath cleared. Neighbours’ ledges are not a place for leftovers.

Cats

Place the feeder where a cat cannot launch from a shrub straight onto the perches. The RSPB’s line is the balance above: not in the bush, not so far that there is no cover at all. Scent deterrents are mentioned on their page (citronella, citrus peel, or a product such as Silent Roar). We have not tested those.

A nest box is a different siting problem and should not be next to the feeder. The BTO says the activity at a feeder can disturb a nesting pair. See the nest box guide.

Poles and branches

A branch is fine if it is not a roost with birds sitting above the food, and if you can still take the feeder down for a weekly clean. A pole with a baffle is the RSPB’s suggestion where squirrels climb. Details are in squirrels, pigeons and rats.

Several feeders

If you have room, the RSPB says put them in different parts of the garden. The point is fewer birds in one place, and less mixing of species. A seed feeder at one end and a suet feeder at the other is the pattern that matches both that advice and the BTO’s note about separating diets.

How close to a bush is too close?

The RSPB does not give a measurement on the page we used. Close enough to escape to, and not so close that a cat can hide in it.

Can I fix a feeder to the fence?

Yes, if it is a hanging feeder rather than a flat tray, you can clean under it, and it is not directly beneath a roost. A fence with a cat on it is a poor choice.

Should the feeder be near the nest box?

No. The BTO says keep boxes away from feeders, and not to buy a box built into a bird table.