Comes apart without tools
Droll Yankees Ring Pull Tube Bird Feeder A-6RP
Pull one ring and the tube comes apart, no tools. Holds 1 lb of sunflower or mixed seed.
Tube bird feeders
A tube keeps seed drier than a tray and feeds small birds one per port: the Droll Yankees Ring Pull comes apart with one pull and no tools, and a Brome Squirrel Buster closes its ports when a squirrel climbs on.
Big and squirrel-resistant
Brome Squirrel Buster Plus
Holds 5.1 lb; a squirrel’s weight closes the ports, and the spring adjusts for heavier birds.
Small and squirrel-resistant
Brome Squirrel Buster Mini
1 lb of seed and four ports behind the same closing shroud.
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One more feeder
Droll Yankees · Seed feeder
Yankee Flipper Squirrel-Proof Bird Feeder YF-M
- Holds 5 lb
- Squirrel-resistant
Spins squirrels off its perch ring; holds 5 lb of seed and needs recharging.
Keep in mind: Hang it at least four feet above ground and eight feet from squirrel jump points.
What a tube feeder does well
A tube holds seed inside a cylinder and lets birds take it through ports, one bird to a perch. The seed stays drier than on a tray, and short perches suit chickadees, titmice, finches and nuthatches. Larger birds such as cardinals and jays find short perches awkward and feed more easily at a hopper or platform.
Match the ports to the seed
Sunflower, sunflower hearts, safflower and seed mixes go in tubes with standard ports. Nyjer is tiny and spills from them, so it needs a finch tube with small ports, such as the Droll Yankees Ring Pull Tube Finch Feeder TH-3RP, which holds 1 lb and comes apart with the same pull ring. Brome recommends black-oil sunflower in its Squirrel Buster tubes and warns against blends with large fruit or nut pieces, which can jam the ports.
Squirrels and tube feeders
A plain tube is easy for a squirrel to empty. A weight-closing tube such as the Brome Squirrel Buster shuts its ports when a squirrel loads the shroud; the Yankee Flipper spins its perch ring. Both need room: Brome asks for at least 18 inches between the feeder and any foothold, and Droll Yankees says to hang the Flipper at least 4 ft up and 8 ft from anything a squirrel can jump from.
Cleaning a tube
Take it apart every week or two, and more often in wet weather or heavy use: empty it, wash the parts in warm soapy water, rinse and let everything dry before refilling. A bottle brush reaches the corners and the ports. If birds at the feeder have swollen or crusty eyes, clean more often and check your state wildlife agency for advice; ports are where eye disease spreads among finches.
References
| Source | Updated |
|---|---|
| Feeder Types ↗ | |
| How To Clean Your Feeders ↗ | |
| Common Feeder Birds ↗ |