Living with Birds How to attract birds to a window bird feeder Tweetapedia

Window mounted bird feeder are a great way to attract a variety of wild birds to your garden.

It can take some time for them to use a new window feeder for birds. Here's how to get birds feeding.

1. Feed Live Mealworms in your bird window feeder
2. Cover the window 
3. Use an unused window
4. Position the window bird feeder away from the window 

1. Feed Live Mealworms 

This the fastest and easiest way to get birds to use a window feeder is by using live mealworms as bird food.

Robins, great tits and blue tits are a popular variety of birds garden birds that use a window feeder and they love live mealworms.

Live mealworms are a great way to attract birds to a new window bird feeder (especially UK Robins). They wiggle and provide a visual stimulus to the birds so they are more likely to notice the feeder. 

Fill the feeder with a handful of live mealworms to start with and then slowly mix in your preferred seed. Fill with a soft-bill food like I Love Robins or sunflower seeds  to attract robins.

2. Cover the window

Humans, cats or dogs on the other side of the window will disturb a bird from wanting to feed.

To stop this, cover the window with sheets of newspaper or simply spray the window with water and coat with regular cooking tin foil. The water surface tension of the water keeps the foil onto the window and makes it completely opaque. 

Once birds have accustomed to feeding on the window remove the foil.

3. Use a unused window

If you have many windows in the house, particularly some that don't get as much activity as others (such as a study of backroom). Dedicate a particular window to become a "bird feeder window".

Feed the birds on a secluded window and let them become used to it. Leave it up for 1-2 weeks and then "window hop" your feeder from window-to-window to your desired location. This is easier to do if you have a window bird feeder with suction cups, as opposed to an stick on window bird feeder.

If this is not possible, leave the feeder on the window for 3 weeks. This is enough time for the birds in your garden to become used to the feeder and recognise it as a source of food. 

Move the window feeder to its final location and the birds will continue to associate its shape with food.  

4. Position the window bird feeder away from the window 

Hang your clear window bird feeder alongside your regular feeders and wait for the small birds to use it. As they're already feeding, they'll be quick to move to this food source. 

Wait a few days and move this feeder closer to the house. Preferably in slow increments towards your desired window. 

The birds will then transition onto the window with little trouble. 

Some final notes:

1. Keep your feeder clean by regularly spraying with Ark Clens or, washing in the dishwasher
2. Replenish bird food regularly so birds know its a constant source of food.
3. Use different types of food to attract different type of bird. Robins are by far the most common bird to use window bird feeders. They are soft-billed and can't eat shelled sunflower seeds, so use a husked seed mix or sunflower hearts.

Birds, much in the same way as humans are fussy about which foods and where to eat. It can take 2 months before birds will start feeding; have patience and don't give up.