Jan 18, 2016 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, February 2016

Scatter Seed in Sheltered Places

Some species like the dark-eyed junco prefer to dine in sheltered locations.
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As the weather turns cold and snowy, not all birds will venture to your feeder. Some prefer to skulk in the thickets, brambles, and other secure places. To better accommodate these species, consider tossing a few handfuls of mixed seed, sunflower bits, peanuts, or cracked corn under your deck, in your hedges and bushes, or even along the edge of a wooded area. Doves, wrens, towhees, juncos, and various sparrows are just a few of the birds likely to take advantage of food offered in hidden areas. You may even attract a species that would otherwise not have come to your bird-feeding station.

About Bill Thompson, III

Bill Thompson, III, was the team captain for Watching Backyard Birds from its inception 23 years ago through his death on March 25, 2019. So much of what he wrote is timeless and remains informative, helpful, and inspiring.

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    I have the same situation. The feeder is attached to the middle of a large picture window that goes ceiling to floor w/ no ledge or sill for animals to climb or balance. Yet every morning all the sunflower seeds have been cracked open and hulls left. Any ideas what it is?
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    I have a bird feeder that sticks to my window and I've been hearing noises against the window at night right now its going on. But whatever it is it is aware of me. And when I get to window it leaves.I can't imagine a squirrel or mouse or possom being able to get at it. ...So as I was reading this article im to assume no bird eats at night. Or no birds will eat at night. Why is that? Then im also thinking of a sinereo that could a lost confused bird eat at night. This eating thing is watching meI turn out the light go there noise dissappears..Thank you.
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    I have metal baffles (cones) on my pole for my bird feeders. Something is still tempting them at night. What else could it be? Deer???
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