Choosing A Bird Feeder! Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

There are many birds, such as sparrows and pigeons, who do not care to feed at an elevated feeder. They may be found, however, feeding off the ground below the feeder, eating any seeds that have fallen off. It is suggested to either place their feed on the ground, or perhaps on top of a large, flat surface, such as a picnic table.

Answer: Tray Feeder

It is important to make sure the tray feeder has a drainage system to keep the seeds as dry as possible. Sometimes the tray will also have a small roof to protect the birds from rain or snow. The best tray feeders will have screened bottoms instead of solid.

This allows for better drainage, and will help prevent the seeds from sprouting or becoming moldy. It is best to only spread enough seed that will last for a couple of days, and then completely clean the tray before adding new. Platform feeders near the ground are likely to attract birds such as doves and blackbirds, while higher ones will attract cardinals, chickadees, and nuthatches. Again, many types of birds love the open tray feeder. Be careful, though! Squirrels and other critters love tray feeders too!

Answer: Hopper Feeder

This type of feeder better protects the bird seed from the weather as well as bird droppings, both of which can foul the seed. The size of the hopper feeder helps to determine the type of birds that will eat there; if you want to attract larger birds, you will want to buy a larger hopper. Hopper feeders may be hung from trees or mounted on poles, but if this is your choice, please remember that it is more difficult to keep clean.

Answer: Suction Cups

The window feeder is a good way to get up close and personal with the smaller birds who come to feed. Depending on the design of the feeder, however, many times the birds are standing directly on their food. Yuck! It is very important to change the seed daily and make sure the feeder is kept clean. To insure that the feeder will stick to the window, make sure the window is clean and install the feeder on a warm window.

It is believed that this type of feeder will keep birds from crashing into the window, as a bird leaving the feeder which is close to a window cannot gain enough momentum to do itself harm.

Answer: Thistle Socks

Many times people who feed using nyjer seed think the birds are wasting it when they look on the ground under the feeder. Actually, the birds are breaking open the shell, and eating the tiny fruit, which is called the achene. Nyjer, also called thistle, is the favorite seed of goldfinches, and requires a special type of feeder with very small feeding ports.

It is important to remember that the thistle socks do not protect the seed from the rain, so it is probably a good idea to fill them with enough food to last for a couple of days at a time.

Answer: Suet

Suet is typically placed in a wire cage or in onion bags. Some cages are made so that they are only open on the bottom; this discourages feeding from starlings, who do not like to feed upside down. On the other hand, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees do not mind to feed this way. Suet cages are considered to be safer than using onion bags, as the birds may become entangled in the mesh. Please remember that while suet feeders attracts a variety of birds, it is not recommended to replace the suet with bacon drippings. Even though they are both made from animal fats, the bacon drippings pose a risk to the long-term health of birds.

Answer: False

Peanut butter that is sold for human consumption is also safe for birds. It is important, however, to only use it for bird feed when the weather is cold or cool. Warm weather can cause it to separate; the oils can transfer to the bird's feathers, which then can plug the pores of any eggs in a nest.

In addition, warm weather can cause the peanut butter to become rancid. To make sure that peanut butter does not stick to the roof of a bird's mouth, it might be a good idea to add cornmeal. It is imperative to make sure that any peanut butter feeder is cleaned and well maintained. Birds will also eat peanut butter that is placed in natural holes in the bark of a tree or simply smeared on a tree.

Answer: Tube Feeder

Usually made of plastic, tube feeders come in a variety of sizes that can accommodate many different types of birds as well as many different types of bird seeds. While tube feeders keep the seed relatively dry, the seed that is located below the last port may become moldy or contaminated.

It is a good idea to block the bottom of the tube below the last port, and make sure to always empty the old seed out when refilling a tube feeder.

Answer: Hummingbirds

Only a small number of birds enjoy nectar; hummingbirds and orioles are at the top of the list. Since it takes less than an hour for the bird to digest nectar, they must eat often, drinking as much as twice their body weight in nectar each day. While nectar may comprise the majority of their diet, orioles supplement by eating fruit, spiders, caterpillars or other insects, while hummingbirds enjoy spiders.

Answer: Pure cane white granulated sugar and water

Although nectar is commercially produced, it is relatively easy to make. Most recipes call for one cup of pure cane white granulated sugar and four cups of boiling water. The mixture must be cool before being placed in the feeder; it is very important to also check that the feeder is clean from debris or mold.

Some may think the red dye is necessary to attract the hummingbird, however, it is not! In fact, the dye may be bad for their kidneys, so leave it out! Also, the chemicals in Kool-Aid can cause illness or death in birds.