Wild birds are surely capable of feeding on the ground. However, when extreme weather conditions make things difficult for them, having an extra source of food or water can be lifesaving.

You may see flocks of red-winged blackbirds descend on your backyard seed feeder before they leave their northern range. Feeders can help prepare wild birds for their long migration journey. You can live on the southwestern coast of North America and see Anna’s hummingbirds at their nectar feeder in the winter. Wherever you live, your wild birds can certainly need a helping hand from time to time throughout the year.

Wild birds will come to feed at many different types of feeders depending on which type of feeder they prefer. Some birds prefer to forage on the ground or on platform feeders, just like cardinals. Others, like this male house finch, feed from the ground, platform feeders, tube feeders, and seed feeders easily, all as one. Still others, like the goldfinch, prefer thistle seeds from open fields or from tube feeders.

platform feeders Will attract Woody Sparrows, Cardinals, American Tree Sparrows, Towhees, Pink-breasted Grosbeaks, Blue Grosbeaks, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Larks, Evening Harebells, Blue Jays, Magpies, Steller’s Jays, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy Woodpeckers, Doves Mourning Birds, Black-headed Chickadee, Gray Catbirds, Oriental Bluebirds, Pine Grosbeak, Northern Mockingbirds and others.

Platform feeders can be as simple as a piece of wood on your picnic table or your own picnic table. However, that can be quite tricky. Another option would be to get a 4×4 post and nail a 12 x 12 or larger plank of wood to the top of the post. Drill holes through the wooden board so the water doesn’t sit as a puddle. To prevent most of the food bits from falling to the floor, you can take some thin wood cuttings and nail them to the edge of the wooden board. Nailing the wood molding to go around the edge of the wood plank will help prevent most nuts, fruit, suet or bread from falling off. It’s good if some of the debris falls to the ground though, as this will also attract other birds that like to forage on the ground more often.

suet feeders Attract: Blue jays, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, downy woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, northern woodpeckers, black-headed chickadees, tufted chickadees, nuthatches, eastern bluebird, northern mockingbirds, brown vines, gray catbirds, wrens, Steller’s jays and more.

A suet feeder is usually made of wire mesh and is easily hung from a tree branch, perch, or pole.

Fruit Feeders/ Fruit and Jelly Feeders attract orioles, western tanagers, scarlet tanagers, and rose-breasted hawflies.

Fruit feeders often use jam cups as in the previous feeder, with side pins to attach the orange halves.

peanut feeders attract: indigo bunting, blue jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, oriental bluejay, and others.

Hummingbird feeders or sugar water attract more than hummingbirds. They will also attract Bullock’s Orioles, Baltimore Orioles, Western Tanagers, and House Finches, among others.

seed feeders Attract: Painted Bunting, Purple Chaffinch, American Goldfinch, Woodpecker, Grosbeak, House Sparrow, Junco, Red Linnet, Red Crossbill, Tree Sparrow and many more.