Jul 31, 2019 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, August 2019

DIY "Umbrella" for Your Bird Feeders

A Carolina wren visits a backyard feeding station during a shower. Photo by Shutterstock.
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Keep your seeds—and the birds visiting them—dry during showers by installing a rain guard above them. Invert a plastic container, such as a plant saucer or a whipped topping container or lid, and cut a slit in the center. Slide it over the hanger of your nectar or tube feeder. This umbrella might not work so well during rain accompanied by wind, but for showers and downpours, birds might opt to wait it out in the dry shelter of your feeder.

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  • Re: On Thistle and Goldfinches in Winter » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I’ve been enjoying goldfinches eating coneflower/ echinacea seeds in my new pollinator garden! I will leave the plants out all winter for them if the seeds keep that long? Or should I deadhead and put them in a dry area? Im in CT and thought they migrated, but didn’t know they put in winter coats! What do they eat in winter without bird feeders?
    by Anne Sheffield, Sat, 04 Sep 2021
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    Hi Gary, I will pass your question along to Birdsquatch next time I see him. He knows infinitely more about nocturnal wildlife than I do. Where do you live? That's pretty important in figuring out the answer. But the thief could be raccoons, deer, or flying squirrels. Do you live in the woods? Are there trees near your feeder, or must the culprit climb a shepherd's hook or pole? Dawn Hewitt, Watching Backyard Birds
    by Dawn Hewitt, Mon, 30 Aug 2021
  • Re: How Much Seed in a Pound of Seed? » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    This breaks my heart. God strengthen your spirit and comfort your heart.I am fortunate to be taking a vacation next month, hopefully before sky high inflation hits and I can no longer afford it.
    by Ironweeds, Fri, 27 Aug 2021
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    What is emptying my jelly feeder overnight.
    by Gary Vandervest, Wed, 25 Aug 2021
  • Re: Ask Birdsquatch: Angry Birds! » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    Thank you, Dawn. I'm close enough to Ohio (Ann Arbor, Michigan) that I went ahead and took my tubes down and scoured clean all my bird baths. I won't put up my tubes this winter, just my trays and safflower only just to keep the bullies away for a while.
    by Pat Moore, Mon, 09 Aug 2021