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new guests at the mealworm feeder
Killer photo… thanks David for letting us use it for this post. A red bellied woodpecker spears a snack of worms with that long tongue!The conversation centered around this photo had nothing to with mealworm feeders, but rather birds’ tongues. Yup, of all bird species, it’s only the woodpecker and hummingbird who can actually stick out their tongue! And the limited range of movement is straight forward at that.
Box, dish, tray, cup, cage, staked, hanging, pole-mount and so on… there all kinds of feeders for offering mealworms. Live worms may find escape from open feeders, but it’s not the only reason the box or cage styles are popular. Just about every bird around will eat your worms (and pretty darn fast), so if the intention is feeding bluebirds… enclosed models are basically referred to as bluebird feeders, and they may be hung, pole-, or post-mounted.
This kind of mealworm feeder keeps most birds out, as very few will actually enter a box to retrieve food. The entry/exit is sized the same as that of a bluebird house, although chickadees, carolina wrens and nuthatches will use these feeders if/when live worms are discovered!
In our quest for bluebirds several years ago, housing and fresh water didn’t seem like enough. Up went the mealworm feeder, with every kind of bluebird food out there! It wasn’t until live worms became available on a daily basis the blues finally stuck around. Since then, a Gilbertson nest box and a another NABS approved wooden house have hosted many successful broods over the years. It takes an open habitat, with good perches for hunting insects. As for the hawks who nest nearby in the woods… we could all do without them 🙁 By the way, three woodpecker species totally ignore both open-dish mealworm feeders in our yard, preferring suet and nuts over live worms. Just one of the many reasons we found this photo so very cool!
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add a squirrel baffle and forget about it!
Whether you feed squirrels or not (yes, many folks actually do) the last place you want to see them is in your bird feeders… period! And inevitably, no matter how much you feed the critters, they’ll still go for your birdseed.The only surefire way we’ve ever witnessed to keep them at bay is by installing a decent squirrel baffle. It’s a one-time investment that promises you’ll never have to deal with the issue again. Some people “grease” their poles, and this may work for a while, but it becomes a continuous chore.
Cylinder and cone shaped baffles are most common fo
r feeder poles. Say you have a shepherd’s hook and the baffle won’t fit around the top or the bottom ground stake? No problem – many of the cone baffles actually open and lock, allowing for placement on the fanciest, and curviest of poles.A hanging baffle is best suited i
f your feeder’s suspended from a tree limb or branch. Baffles like these do double duty, acting as weather guards to protect both food and dining birds from the elements. But be careful, not all weather guards are hefty enough to qualify as an effective squirrel baffle.You can even try to make your own baffle with a few supplies from a home improvement store. Stovepipe type baffles have plans available online, Just do a search “stovepipe baffle”. They can be made from sheet metal or PVC pipe.
Whatever type of baffle you may choose, feeder placement is the key! Make sure there is no horizontal “launch” point for squirrels to jump from, and if hanging, be sure the bottom of the feeder is at least five to six feet from the ground. So heed these precautions… as squirrels’ acrobatic stealth is nothing short of amazing!
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how would window bird feeders ever be versatile?
Because with The Great Hang Up, you can turn most smaller hanging feeders into window bird feeders. Although it may not look like much, this innovative window hook holds up to three pounds securely. It leaves options wide open for attracting avian 
friends… up close and personal, with the hook facing both up or downwards.The Mod Oval shown here would be great as a window feeder, offering a full view of dining birds.
Come to think of it, a window birdbath would be fantastic too! Since fresh water is a great way to entice birds, small dish-type feeders (with no drainage) would serve this purpose well. The Glass Globe feeder
is versatile enough to fit the bill. Accommodating seed mixes, suet & nuggets, peanuts, even fruit in summer, plain old water is an excellent option as well. Available in ruby red or lime green… just think of the possibilities!Aside from the awesome viewing opportunities, here’s another reason why window bird feeders are good – location, or placement is important for birds’ safety. According to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, placing a feeder within three feet (or more than thirty feet) from windows greatly helps to prevent window strikes. They say billions of birds die each year from these fatal crashes. Using the above reference for feeder placement will not afford birds enough room for gaining speed and crashing into the window.
So think outside the box because it doesn’t have to actually say “window feeder” to be one!
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