I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

"news" wrote in message
...
I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

Different feeders attract different birds. The tubular feeders with nyjer
seed attract the smaller songbirds. The bigger birds won't mess with the
tiny seeds and the tiny holes as much. Tubular feeders with small perches
attract smaller birds that can land on the small perches.

Sunflower seeds are one of the best things you can put out. They will draw
lots of pretty birds. I think you just have a time of year or a flock of
blackbirds. Get a noisemaker to shoo them off, and try some smaller
feeders. Try some suet blocks. You just have to try different things until
you find what works in your area, and then that will vary from season to
season. Go to rec.birds for a nice group that can give you good advice.

Steve

Steve

"news" wrote:
I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

You might try safflower seed instead of sunflower, I had the same problem
and it seems like the black birds didn't care much for the safflower but
the smaller birds enjoyed it.

"news" wrote in message
...
I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

We had the exact same problem with squirrels and large birds. We want to
attract only small birds to eat the mosquitos. The link shows a picture of a
feeder similar to the one we got that works well for that purpose. I
wouldn't hang it though. Put it on a pole or attach it to something to keep
it stable or the larger animals will knock it over to get the seeds out. We
had a tubular feeder but the squirrels around here are clever. They would
hang on it upside down and chow down.Funny to watch but bird seed is
expensive.

I think the one we got was at HD. It's all green and comes with a pole
attachment. Sorry, I'm too lazy to go take a picture of it. The trick is the
hood. It helps keep the large birds out. If you hang it the birds/squirrels
will bump it and cause the seeds to fall out.

http://www.bugspray.com/pictures/products/dspbf.jpg

Jim

..
you might also try a Humming bird feeder
with No Foot-rests;
other bird types can't sit on it, and don't stay

waterboy

WaterBoy wrote:
.
you might also try a Humming bird feeder
with No Foot-rests;
other bird types can't sit on it, and don't stay

waterboy

In 30 years of having them, I have never seen any other bird besides
Hummers on our Humming Bird feeders with pedestals. Now, bees,
different story.

Tom J

"Tom J" wrote in message
...
WaterBoy wrote:
.
you might also try a Humming bird feeder
with No Foot-rests;
other bird types can't sit on it, and don't stay

waterboy

In 30 years of having them, I have never seen any other bird besides
Hummers on our Humming Bird feeders with pedestals. Now, bees, different
story.

Tom J

IIRC, my friends in N. San Diego county have orioles that love sugar water.

Steve

SteveB wrote:
"Tom J" wrote in message
...
WaterBoy wrote:
.
you might also try a Humming bird feeder
with No Foot-rests;
other bird types can't sit on it, and don't stay

waterboy

In 30 years of having them, I have never seen any other bird
besides
Hummers on our Humming Bird feeders with pedestals. Now, bees,
different story.

Tom J

IIRC, my friends in N. San Diego county have orioles that love sugar
water.
Steve

I live on the east coast. These Hummers are too agressage for other
birds to come around.

Tom J

On Nov 13, 9:41 pm, "news" wrote:
I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

I've resorted to using a big hammer a few times ... stop feeding them
for a few weeks. The big birds move on, but the little ones seem to
be based locally and hang around, or at least some like them reappear
as soon as feeding resumes.

On Nov 13, 10:41 pm, "news" wrote:
I've always wanted a bird feeder in the back yard, so
I can watch pretty little birds feeding and singing. I
put up a large bird feeder with sunflower seed type
feed. And I waited, and waited some more......until they
showed up.....a flock of blackbirds....big ugly black-birds
crapping all over, taking over the yard....wanting more...
not exactly the picture perfect sight I was hoping for.
Does anyone have a suggestion for a bird feeder that
will feed the small pretty birds, and yet keep out the
pesky large blackbirds... thx

Try a change of bait; thistle seeds (they're not really thistle)
little teeny black things; best with feeders with small holes, often
just a relatively finemesh net bag that you need to replace once in a
while. The little guys like them, the big guys don't. Squirrels don't
either. They're not cheap per pound though, but after you factor in
all the sunflower seed shells you had to pay for, it's not so bad.