Spring brings hungry birds back to your yard—but it also brings the predators that hunt them. Where you hang your feeder can mean the difference between a thriving feeding station and a dangerous trap. Avoid these four spots to keep your backyard birds safe this season.
Near Bushes or Dense Cover
Save this article for later so you don't lose it. Enter your email and I'll send it to you now—plus you'll get my favorite backyard birding tips delivered to your inbox.
Birdfy Solar Powered Bird House with Camera
Check PriceIt seems counterintuitive, but hanging a feeder right next to thick shrubs or hedges creates the perfect ambush point for cats and hawks. Predators use dense cover to hide and watch, waiting for birds to drop their guard while they feed. Cats especially love crouching in bushes within pouncing distance of feeders, and Cooper’s hawks will use the same cover to launch surprise attacks. Instead, position your feeder at least 10 to 12 feet away from any dense vegetation. This gives birds enough open space to spot danger approaching and time to escape. If you want to offer natural cover for birds, place native shrubs and brush piles farther away—at least 15 feet from the feeder—so birds have a safe retreat after feeding, not a hiding spot for the animals hunting them.
Too Close to Windows
Get our free Hummingbird Attraction Guide! Plus, we'll send you our best tips for attracting more birds to your yard.
Placing a feeder within a few feet of a window might seem like the best way to enjoy close-up views, but it creates two serious problems. First, window strikes kill hundreds of millions of birds each year in North America, and feeders positioned 3 to 10 feet from glass are especially dangerous. Birds startled by a predator—or simply moving between perches—can panic and fly straight into reflective windows at full speed. Second, windows give cats easy viewing access, and even indoor cats watching from inside can stress feeding birds. The safest placement is either within three feet of the window, so birds can’t build up dangerous speed, or more than 10 feet away. Add window decals or screens to reduce reflections, and never position feeders where they funnel panicked birds directly toward glass.
Low to the Ground
Ground-level feeders or those hung below four feet are an open invitation to every ground predator in your neighborhood. Cats, foxes, raccoons, and even rats can easily reach low feeders, and birds feeding close to the ground have limited escape routes and poor sightlines. Squirrels will also dominate low feeders, chasing birds away and emptying your seed in hours. Spring is especially risky because many predators are feeding young and actively hunting. Hang your feeders at least five to six feet off the ground—higher is even better for smaller songbirds. This height gives birds a clear view of approaching danger and enough space to take flight quickly. Pole-mounted feeders with baffles work beautifully here, keeping both climbing predators and opportunistic mammals at bay while giving your birds the advantage.
Next to Garage or Driveway
Feeders positioned near garages, driveways, or other high-traffic human areas create stress and danger for visiting birds. The constant movement of cars, people, and doors opening creates disturbances that make birds nervous and less likely to feed safely. Worse, these areas often provide perches and hiding spots on roof edges, vehicles, and equipment that predators—especially outdoor cats—use as hunting platforms. Birds focused on feeding won’t notice a cat creeping along a car roof or garage ledge until it’s too late. Garages also tend to have overhangs and structures that limit a bird’s upward escape route. Instead, place your feeders in a quieter part of your yard, away from daily human activity and vehicle movement. A calm, open area with clear sightlines and minimal disturbance will always attract more birds and keep them safer from both human-related hazards and lurking predators.