A roof and a draining floor
Birds Choice Tall Hopper Bird Feeder with Suet Cages
About 4.5 lb of seed under a roof, on a mesh floor that drains rain; a suet cage on each end.
Weatherproof bird feeders
No feeder keeps seed dry forever, but a roof or dome over the seed, a floor that drains and a regular wash come close: a hopper such as the Birds Choice Tall Hopper, a clear dome over a hanging feeder, or a tube under a weather guard. After a wet spell, throw out any seed that clumps or smells musty.
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A dome over any feeder
Aspects Super Dome 18 in. #182
An 18 in clear dome that hangs above a feeder against rain and snow, and squirrels coming down the wire.
Nyjer under cover
Duncraft All-Weather Nyjer Tube
A 1.5 lb nyjer tube under a 12 in clear dome, with a tray below that catches what falls.
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Birds Choice · Seed feeder
Medium Hopper Bird Feeder
- Holds 3 lb
- Comes apart to clean
A made-in-USA recycled-plastic hopper for cardinals, jays and chickadees, about 3 lb of seed.
Keep in mind: The 1 in pole flange (#1202) or 15 in hanging cable (#C15) is sold separately.
Birds Choice · Seed feeder
Large Hopper Bird Feeder with Suet Cages
- Holds 6 lb
- Comes apart to clean
About 6 lb of seed plus two suet cakes on one pole: a feeding station in one box.
Keep in mind: Pole mount only, and the 1 in pole flange (#1202) is sold separately.
Birds Choice · Nectar feeder
Hummerfest 12 oz with Weatherguard
- Holds 12 oz
A 12 oz saucer that goes in the top rack of the dishwasher, with a red guard that keeps rain off and shades the nectar.
Keep in mind: The ant moat works only while it holds water.
Kingsyard · Seed feeder
Squirrel-Proof Large Capacity Feeder House
- Holds 5 lb
- Squirrel-resistant
Holds 5 lb of mixed seed and closes its ports under a squirrel’s weight.
Keep in mind: The spring also closes under large birds, so jays and grackles may be shut out.
Duncraft · Platform feeder
Cardinal Bird Feeder
- Holds 3 lb
A hanging bowl under a wide weather guard, roomy enough for cardinals and grosbeaks to perch and feed.
Keep in mind: A bowl collects wet hulls; tip it out and wash it every week or two.
Nature's Way · Hook and bracket
Wild Wings 33 in Adjustable Clamp-On Deck Hook
A feeder off the deck rail with no drilling, where you can see it from the house.
Keep in mind: Fits rails up to 2.5 in wide; measure yours first.
Duncraft · Platform feeder
Open Air Ground Platform Bird Feeder
- Holds 5 lb
Ground-feeding birds such as doves and cardinals, with corner perches that chickadees and finches land on.
Keep in mind: Food at ground level is within reach of squirrels and other animals, so fill only what the birds finish in a day.
Nature's Way · Seed feeder
Midnight Metal Mesh Mixed Seed and Peanut Bird Feeder
- Holds 4.8 lb
- Comes apart to clean
A large mesh tube for peanuts and sunflower that clinging birds feed on from every side, and that comes apart without tools.
Keep in mind: The tray around the base lets perching birds and squirrels feed too; Nature’s Way makes no squirrel claim for it.
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Birds Choice · Platform feeder
Supper Dome Bird Feeder for Seed Suet and Mealworms
Mealworms, peanuts, fruit or seed in a dish the dome keeps dry, with suet logs beside it.
Keep in mind: The dish is 6¼ in across and 1¾ in deep, so it holds a small amount at a time.
Keep the seed dry
A hopper’s roof protects the seed from the weather, and a tube keeps seed fairly dry; an open platform needs plenty of drainage holes, and a roof over it helps, Project FeederWatch notes. Sunflower hearts and cracked corn are best kept out of tubes, where moisture collects around them, Cornell adds. Over a hanging feeder, a clear dome such as the Aspects Super Dome keeps off rain and snow.
When the seed gets wet
Seed that clumps, smells musty or shows mold goes in the trash: wash the feeder, let every part dry and refill with less. Regular washing also keeps a tube’s ventilation holes open; if the seed in a clean tube still gets wet, Brome suggests looking for a hairline crack, especially where the clear tube meets the base.
Wind
A feeder that swings spills seed, and a nectar feeder that swings drips and draws ants and bees: hang it out of strong wind and take nectar feeders in during storms, as Audubon advises. A deep S-hook, like the one on the Wild Wings railing hook, keeps a feeder from blowing off. Brome says its Squirrel Buster Plus, hung correctly, stands up to high winds.