A bird feeder has to be sturdy to withstand all types of weather. It also has to be well sealed in order to keep the food inside dry. It should be big enough so that you dont have to constantly refill it, and it should be easy to clean. Wooden feeders have a certain charm to them, but practicality dictates that the best bird feeders are made of plastic or metal.

There are three different types of bird feeders tray, hopper and tube. They each attract different bird species. The screen tray birdfeeder is made of steel mesh and can hold different types of seeds or nuts depending on the birds you want to feed. Tray feeders are hung from trees and also attract squirrels.

The most popular fillers for tray feeders are peanuts, raisins, mealworms, black oil or sunflower seeds. The hopper bird feeder is box shaped and dispenses seeds automatically. It has a roof to help keep seeds dry. It attracts a wide variety of backyard birds including doves, blue jays, blackbirds and cardinals. Hoppers can hold a lot of seeds and because they are automatically dispensed, they do not spoil. Tube feeders are long cylinders that have perches at the feeding ports. They can be purchased as upside-down models or seed tray models. They usually attract small woodland birds like chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, nuthatches and finches. Because the perches are small, they discourage larger birds including cardinals, blue jays, grackles, blackbirds and doves. You can use sunflower seeds or tiny thistle and Niger seeds, but you must make sure that there is no dead space at the bottom of the feeder to prevent rotten or moldy seeds.