If you live in an area with cardinals, attracting them to your home can be a great way to admire the bird. But attracting birds can be difficult without the right tools, like a bird feeder. Consider what the best bird feeder for cardinals is and how you can use it.
Whether you like bird watching or want to start, using a bird feeder is a good option. You can put it near your house to attract certain birds, like cardinals. Read on to learn more about the best bird feeders for cardinals.
Things to Consider
When choosing the best bird feeder for cardinals, you have a lot to consider. Of course, you have to make sure there are cardinals in the area that you can attract. Cardinals primarily live in the eastern part of the United States, and they don’t typically migrate.
If you live east of the Rocky Mountains, you can find cardinals around you throughout the year. Luckily, they love bird feeders, so they can come and eat when they’re nearby.
While you could use any bird feeder, consider a few factors that set some feeders apart. That way, you can attract cardinals to you more easily.
Size
Cardinals are a medium-sized bird, so you should avoid using the smallest bird feeders out there. Some cardinals have a range of 7.5 to 9.25 inches, and they weigh about 1.8 ounces, making them twice as big as other birds, like chickadees.
Any bird needs enough space to sit and perch comfortably as they use your bird feeder. If you want to attract cardinals, you need to make sure the feeder has enough room.
The feeder doesn’t have to be massive, especially if you don’t have too many cardinals around. However, having some room for the bird to spread out and eat is important. Then, you can make sure the cardinals come back for more food later.
Food
You should also consider what food to put in the feeder and how the birds can get to the food. Avoid feeders with mesh or screen openings because cardinals won’t be able to get their beaks through the small openings.
Choose a feeder with plenty of openings for the cardinals. Then, you can attract multiple birds to your feeder at once.
When it comes to what food to use, cardinals love seeds, like sunflower seeds and safflower seeds. You can also use other seeds, as well as berries, flowers, and leaf buds. However, the food has to be easy for the cardinal to get.
Capacity
Another thing you might want to think about is how much food the bird feeder can hold. A bigger or smaller feeder isn’t necessarily better for cardinals. However, you have to consider your schedule and how often you can refill the feeder.
If cardinals come when the feeder is empty, they may not come back after you fill it. You should check on the feeder every day or so and top it off when it starts getting low. That way, you can make sure cardinals always have something to eat.
Some feeders can hold a dozen pounds of food, while others have a smaller capacity. Consider your lifestyle and schedule to help decide how big of a feeder you should get.
Security
Squirrels are a common animal around North America, but they can be a problem for your bird feeder and the cardinals. Some squirrels will get to your bird feeder and take all of the food instead of birds.
Fortunately, some bird feeders have weights that close the openings when a squirrel sits on the feeder. Cardinals are light enough that they won’t trigger the weights, so birds can still enjoy a meal or a snack.
Having a way to keep squirrels away from your bird feeder is essential. Not only can it save food for cardinals, but it can keep the birds from having to fight with squirrels for the bird feeder.
The Best Bird Feeders for Cardinals
Now that you know about the best features in bird feeders, you should compare a couple of options. Depending on where you live and your needs, you may prefer one bird feeder over another.
If you know which bird feeder you want, you can make sure it has essential features. But if you don’t know where to start, consider these bird feeders to help attract cardinals.
Woodlink Absolute II Model 7536
The Woodlink Absolute II Model 7536 bird feeder has a durable powder-coated steel body to hold and secure the food. It can hold up to 12 pounds of food at a time, so you don’t have to refill it every day.
You can even adjust the weight settings so that you can attract cardinals. The weight of a squirrel will trigger the feeder to close, so you can keep the food for the birds.
Measuring 13.5 by 16 by 11.25 inches, there is plenty of room for a few cardinals to spread out and eat. The openings are big enough for cardinal beaks, so they can eat as little or as much as they want.
Woodlink 3 in 1 Platform Bird Feeder
While a traditional bird feeder can be a good option, cardinals sometimes like to eat off of the ground. You can recreate this by using the Woodlink 3 in 1 Platform Bird Feeder. It uses inland red cedar wood and provides the perfect platform for cardinals.
The feeder can hold up to three pounds of food at a time, and you can hang it off of a tree like any other feeder. That way, you don’t have to have it take up space in your yard. Hanging it can also keep squirrels and other animals away.
This feeder has a metal screen on the bottom that allows food and water to drain after a rainstorm. That way, you don’t have to clean it as much.
Droll Yankees Hanging Tube Feeder
Going back to traditional bird feeders, the Droll Yankees Hanging Tube Feeder is an excellent choice if you don’t have much horizontal space for a bird feeder. The tube is 20 inches long and has 6 seed ports where cardinals can access the food.
You can fill the tube with up to two and a half pounds of food at a time. The top, base, and feeding ports all use heavy-duty zinc that can withstand damage from squirrels.
You can hang the feeder from a tree using the steel hanging wire. Or you can mount the feeder on a pole.
Droll Yankees Cardinal Platform Feeder
If you want another platform feeder, consider the Droll Yankees Cardinal Platform Feeder. It can hold up to a pound of food, seeds, or fruit to attract cardinals. The diameter is 13 inches, so there’s plenty of room for cardinals to perch.
This feeder also comes with a dome that you can move up and down on the central rod to keep out larger animals, like squirrels. That rod is sturdy and uses a UV-stabilized polycarbonate that can protect against squirrel damage.
You can hang the feeder off of a tree or elsewhere in your yard to attract birds. That way, you can watch as cardinals feed.
Final Thoughts
The best bird feeder, such as the Woodlink Absolute II Model 7536, should be big enough to accommodate cardinals, and it should fit enough food for the birds. Security features to keep out squirrels can also help. But consider a few models to find the best bird feeder for cardinals in your area.
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