Much of the fun of bird watching is bringing birds closer to you so you can enjoy them, and it doesn’t get much closer than a window bird feeder.
These feeders suction to your windows to bring birds to you. They can be placed in locations that make it simple to keep a watch on your feeders out of the corner of your eye without actually actively watching them.
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Benefits of Window Feeders
If you keep a feeder right outside your window where you can see it from your couch, desk, or kitchen, it makes bird watching effortless for you. It can also improve the safety of your feathered backyard companions.
While it may seem a little bit counterintuitive, using a window feeder can potentially reduce window collisions in your yard.
The National Audubon Society is among those that recommend using window feeders as a way to reduce collisions. Some research has shown that window feeders and feeders placed close to windows actually lead to fewer collisions.
Downsides of Window Feeders
Getting closer to birds and making them safer in the process are two potentially huge positives to window feeders. Among the negatives is bringing seed messes closer to your home, especially if you have a patio or deck of some sort.
Depending on what kind of seeds you put out, birds may discard shells like safflower and sunflower shells below the feeder. If you don’t mind the mess or you choose to use feed that doesn’t make a mess, then the upside of a window feeder could be significant.
What window feeder you purchase will depend on the kind of birds you want to attract. Here’s a rundown of some of the best window feeders on the market.
Best Window Bird Feeders to Consider
Aspects 407 Jewel Box Feeder
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
As some of the smallest birds on the planet, hummingbirds can be notoriously difficult to watch if you’re not paying close attention. They zip around your yard, visiting flowers or feeders often without even perching to rest and have a drink.
This feeder is the perfect feeder to get a better look at hummingbirds in your yard. Hummingbirds will perch on the red railing surrounding the dish, giving you a chance to see the hummingbirds sitting still right outside your home, which is a real treat.
The feeder has a lid that lifts to quickly fill the feeder and an ant moat that you fill with water to keep insects out of the nectar.
Nature Anywhere Window Feeder
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This window feeder is a more conventional tray feeder for seed-eating birds, with two compartments to provide birds with two different options.
What’s nice about feeders like this one is the viewing window, which allows for unobstructed viewing without looking through the polycarbonate construction of the feeder.
Many of these bird feeders are designed with materials that are easy to see through, but looking through your window with no additional material in the way provides the best few of all. It reduces cleaning and can help you get clearer photos if that’s something you’re interested in.
The feeder measures 10 inches by 10 inches, with a roof to keep birds out of the elements.
Nature’s Hangout Clear Window Bird Feeder
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
For a little smaller option, consider this Nature’s Hangout model, which measures 12 inches long by five inches tall.
The longer, smaller appearance is preferred by some bird watchers. It gives more space for more birds to perch at a given time, and it takes up less of your vision through your window.
It doesn’t have the viewing opening that the previous model does, but the acrylic feeder is usually not too difficult to see through. Just make sure to regularly clean the feeder if it gets dirty or foggy.
Aspects Window Cafe Mount Feeder
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This feeder is better for smaller birds than for larger ones.
The overhanging roof and relatively small tray make it a little bit difficult for larger bird species to wriggle their way in, but it leaves plenty of space for birds like finches, chickadees, and nuthatches.
It’s a good feeder for small birds, but it still holds plenty of food. Unlike the tray feeders listed above, this feeder holds food in a compartment that filters into seed trays below as the birds eat what’s available.
You won’t have to fill this feeder nearly as often as some of the other tray feeders, so if you’re anticipating a lot of traffic at your feeder, that may be a consideration for you.
Woodlink NAHANGER Audubon Window Glass Hang Up
Last update on 2024-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Alternatively, bird lovers can secure a hanging feeder from a suctioned hook such as this one instead of buying a window-specific feeder. This is perfect for bird feeders like many finch feeders, which hang from a hook on the top.
This can keep dirt off your windows a little bit and save you some money if you already have a feeder ready to go.
If you are interested in this option but don’t already have a feeder, click here for a few potential choices, including finch sock feeders or metal and plastic tube feeders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Window Bird Feeders Any Good?
When used correctly, a good window bird feeder will almost certainly do its job in bringing the birds you already see in your yard closer to the window.
If you’re not regularly seeing birds flying through the air or perching on branches nearby, just adding a feeder, either to your window or otherwise, isn’t likely to magically make the birds appear, although having ample food available is one key to creating suitable habitat for birds.
If you’re seeing birds but aren’t having any luck bringing them to your window feeder, there could be several reasons why.
Perhaps the most likely reason is that humans or pets might be scaring the birds away. Try putting your feeder at an angle where the birds won’t see humans as easily, place the feeder in a room with less foot traffic through it, or sit a little bit further away from the feeder.
These small adjustments will give the birds a little bit of space and make them more comfortable visiting the feeder.
How Do I Attract Birds to a Window Feeder?
Attract birds to a window feeder the same way you would attract them to a typical bird feeder.
Providing adequate habitat is a top priority for anyone looking to attract birds to their feeders.
If birds don’t have a place to comfortably nest, water for cleaning and drinking, and cover to avoid predators, you’ll have a hard time getting birds to stick around your yard. Therefore, it’ll be difficult to get them to visit your feeders.
Fill the feeder with bird seed or foods that the types of birds you’re hoping to attract enjoy eating. For example, someone looking to attract bluebirds to their backyard feeder wouldn’t put out seeds, as bluebirds prefer insects and mealworms.
Research what kind of food the birds in your yard like to eat. Then, just make sure to keep your feeders clean and full. If they are around, the birds should follow.
What are The Different Types of Window Bird Feeders?
Like regular feeders, there are many different types of window feeders to feed all the different kinds of backyard birds.
This includes suet feeders, hummingbird feeders, finch feeders, and platform feeders. Consider what kind of birds you’re used to seeing in your backyard before deciding what type of window feeder to purchase and what food to fill it with.
A hook feeder like the Woodlink one listed above is great for hanging a finch feeder, while hummingbird window feeders are intended for hummingbirds. Cater your food and feeder offerings to the birds in your area and you’re likely to have success.
Will Birds Smash Into My Windows If I Use A Window Feeder?
While it may seem like putting feeders directly on your windows would lead to more collisions, some research has found the opposite.
Research published in the Wilson Bulletin found that mortality increased when feeders were placed between five and 10 meters from the glass, while no window collision fatalities were recorded during the study when feeders were placed within one meter of glass windows.
The National Audubon Society is among the bird advocacy groups that recommend placing bird feeders directly on your windows to reduce collisions.
To further reduce window collisions, the National Audubon Society also suggests taking the following steps:
- Creating patterns on reflective glass surfaces, such as with stickers
- Installing screens on the outside of your windows
- Closing your blinds or curtains
- Moving interior plants away from windows
If you’re wondering what the inside of your home looks like to birds, take a walk outside and look through your windows. Do you see the reflection of bushes, trees, and other outdoor surroundings, or do you see your inside furniture or any people or pets inside?
Whatever you see is similar to what a bird will see as it’s flying through the air.
If it just looks like the rest of their surroundings, birds won’t be able to tell what is the reflection of a window and what isn’t. In that case, take a few extra steps to help reduce window collisions.
How Do I Mount a Window Feeder With Suction Cups?
First off, use glass cleaner to make sure your windows are clean. A dirty window is a top problem for people looking to make their suction cups stick longer.
Using a little bit of warm water on the suction cups will help them stick. Make sure to use warm water, as a cold window and suction cups can cause the suction cups to release.
You may find that your window feeders don’t stick as well during the cold months, so use warm water when sticking your feeder. If it’s falling regularly, bring it inside to let the suction cups warm up a little bit, and apply warm water to your window to help things stick.
Some people, like Wild Birds Unlimited’s Zen Birdfeeder blog, suggest using a little bit of oil from your face on the suction cups, as saliva or water evaporates over time and stops helping your suction cups work.
Once you’ve got a clean window, firmly press the suction cups on your window for a few seconds before releasing them.
How Do You Squirrel-Proof a Window Bird Feeder?
As long as you place your feeder higher than squirrels can jump and away from anything they can jump from like a branch or bush, putting feeders on your windows can reduce squirrels’ ability to access them.
Without a pole to climb up or another access point, a glass window is difficult for squirrels to climb. If they do get onto your window feeder, they can wreak havoc, as the suction cups on a feeder aren’t always prepared for the weight of an adult squirrel.
If a squirrel is getting to your window feeder, move it higher up the window to a level that squirrels can’t jump to, or to a new location away from other objects if they’re leaping from another launch point to the feeder.
Which Birds Will Use a Window Feeder?
Whichever kinds of birds you see at your regular bird feeder will likely visit a window feeder, as long as it’s the same type of food and they’re given enough. Do some research about what each bird eats and target specific species, or put out a generic seed mix and see what birds visit.
A lot of what makes bird watching and feeding fun is experimentation to see what birds you can see with different foods and feeders.
Good luck and happy birding!