Slows squirrels down
Duncraft Squirrel Resistant Platform Feeder 4684
A two-layer grid limits how much seed a squirrel can reach; the perforated floor drains and the bottom comes out.
Platform and tray bird feeders
A platform feeds the most kinds of birds, from cardinals and jays to doves and juncos, but the food sits open to rain and droppings: pick one with a floor that drains and comes out, such as the Duncraft 4684.
Covered tray
Droll Yankees Seed Saver Platform Bird Feeder X-1
Seed, fruit, suet or mealworms under a dome you can raise for bigger birds.
A tray on the window
Nature Anywhere Birds-I-View Window Bird Feeder
Suction cups, no drilling; the tray slides out to refill.
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One more feeder
Droll Yankees · Window feeder
Observer Window Bird Feeder OWF
- Holds 0.5 lb
- Suction cups, no drilling
A small window feeder on three suction cups for seed, fruit, suet or mealworms.
Keep in mind: Choose it only if you can remove and manage the whole feeder at the window; it has no slide-out tray.
Who uses a platform
A flat tray feeds the widest range of birds: cardinals, jays, doves, juncos and sparrows that like to stand, plus bluebirds when you offer mealworms or fruit. The same openness lets squirrels and blackbirds in, which is why a platform needs more attention than a tube.
Drainage and cover
Wet seed on a tray turns moldy within days. A floor you can lift out and hose off makes the daily scrape quick, and a covered tray such as the Seed Saver suits a rainy spot. Put out what the birds finish in a day, and scrape off wet seed and droppings before you add more.
When to stop tray feeding
Birds that stand in their food pass on diseases spread through droppings, such as salmonella. If you see sick birds or your state wildlife agency reports one of these diseases, take tray feeders down first, as Cornell’s Project FeederWatch advises, then clean and disinfect the tray and follow the agency’s advice before you start again. Eye disease in finches spreads differently, through feeder ports, and calls for cleaning tube feeders more often.
References
| Source | Updated |
|---|---|
| Feeder Types ↗ | |
| How To Clean Your Feeders ↗ | |
| Common Feeder Birds ↗ |