Trying to attract cardinals to our bird feeders, comments welcome.

[jumphigher]

IMG_6721.jpg

So Grace and I put out a couple of bird feeders on our apt's balcony a few weeks ago, after we took down the (winter) suet feeders. We both love cardinals and our hope is to get lots of them. One feeder contains a mix of seeds and the other one (dark in pic) has nothing but those black oil sunflower seeds that supposedly cardinals are crazy about. We figured one feeder for all the other birds, and one exclusively for the cardinals. Oh and we also read that cardinals don't like to perch, and prefer to just stand, so the feeders we got allow for that.

So far we have 1 cardinal couple we see regularily, a gray female and a red male - and a ton of other types of birds. but I was hoping to get some suggestions here on how to attract them in general as I know some of you guys are knowledgeable in this area. Thanks!

[guido]

Safflower seeds are favored by cardinals and generally ignored by other birds. They also tend to like platform feeders more than other types of feeders.

Being somewhat shy, they tend to like to have a bush or shrub near the feeder to allow them to check things out before going to an exposed feeder...

[Blue Jays]

”...Being somewhat shy, they tend to like to have a bush or shrub near the feeder to allow them to check things out before going to an exposed feeder...”

YES!

Cardinals also enjoy the seeds simply sprinkled on the ground near perimeter bushes. Works like a charm.
It really is important to have that bush/shrub nearby so they can make their observations first before eating.

[Mabouya]

I'm not sure what the VA cardinals like, but I can assure you that the St Louis Cardinals absolutely love black-oil sunflower seeds. There have been times where I've had more than ten at a time at my feeders.

I take cylindrical feeders (the kind with an inner plastic tube and an outer ~1' wire mess) and remove the inner tube, then place an 0.25" wire mesh inside, against the 1" mesh. It increases the total volume so I don't have to fill them as often. The birds that like to perch on the sides drop enough to the ground below that the cardinals find plenty too. (Not necessarily a good option of there are lots of marauding cats around.)

Good Luck

[Haircutqueen]

Holy bird

[j44ke]

This feeder is definitely the best for birds smaller than a Blue Jay. The teeter-totter set up tips and blocks heavier birds and squirrels from access to the seed. There are techniques for heavier birds and squirrels to defeat this, but it requires mad skills and agility and it is often annoyingly (to the B's and S's) slow. However, cardinals (see pic) are perfect matches for this feeder by size and weight. In my experience, cardinals prefer something with some stability, which this pole mounted feeder has. There are ways to pole mount a feeder on a balcony. Pleasants Hardware can set you up (if Pleasants is still in business.) Or Lowe's.

One thing you are working against is spring. That's when birds are max territorial, and if you have a mated pair (i.e. with a nest &/or eggs/young to feed) that include your feeder in their territory, they will be chasing most if not all of the other cardinals away from your feeders. All about competition. Later in the summer and then fall & winter, the walls go down a bit and there is more of a free-for-all. In winter, snow is your friend as it will drive the area birds to your feeder. That's when you are more likely to see multiple cardinals at your feeder.

Don't forget to supply water. A shallow bird bath dish about the diameter of a metal trash can lid is about the right size. I am sure there are railing mounts available for just such an arrangement. Fresh water is very often harder for birds to find than food, especially in high summer and the middle of winter. Keeping out water will often attract birds first and then only afterwards will they find the feeder. Adding some sort of bubbler or similar water-noise maker will increase the attractiveness as birds listen for water more than they look for it.

One thing you might do in order to compensate for the lack of a yard is string the smaller feeders up high in a tree facing your apartment. Feeders sitting on your balcony are an easily defended citadel, so moving some other feeders out a ways from the apartment would give interlopers more of a chance to make an appearance without being subjected to the pecking order. Tie a string to a rock and toss it up and over a high branch. Then use that string to pull a heftier string over the branch. Attach one end to the feeder and use the other end to hoist it up until you can see it from your apartment. Then tie off the end somewhere inconspicuous so you can lower the feeder for refilling.

This feeder is a Duncraft. Very high quality US-made feeder. You may be able to find them locally at a Wild Birds Unlimited store if you have one in your area. Or check the Duncraft site to see who sells them locally.

[ides1056]

^^^great tip

[Too Tall]

We have that fancy pants feeder and yeah it is all that and a bag of chips. After maybe 5 years of successful deployment some RANDOM squirrel, might be Pucci's nemesis, figured out how to hang on one side and reach around to the other. I give.

PS - yes it attracted cardinals

[rwsaunders]

We have two of these suspended from an iron hanger along with two suet baskets for the woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees. Like Jorn said the cardinals are ground feeders but they will sit on the ring and the weight of a squirrel drops the ring and closes the openings. We put the feeders up in the late Fall and keep them filled through the late Spring.

On a couple of really cold days this past Winter, I've counted over two dozen cardinals at the feeders and they can eat quite a bit of sunflower seed when they're hungry. I think that we went through alomost a dozen suet squares too, as we have a few flickers, some downys and a pileated woodpecker that go for suet like crack. The combination of the feeders and my .177 cal air rifle do help to keep the squirrels at bay.

[jumphigher]

Appreciate everyone's advice, we have a lot to think about. We'll start incorporating some of the ideas posted shortly. On a side we get some really cool birds so far at our feeders. There's a woodpecker that visits regularily, and lot's of colorful birds in addition to the typical little brown birds that seem to be everywhere. In fact I've been surprised just how many bright colored birds there are around here, as I thought those were a tropical thing. :)

[Mabouya]

If you're in an upper-floor apartment you might have an issue with the shells and other stuff the birds discard falling down to the balcony of the apartment below.

If fact, I was in the situation and the complaints from the folks below were the final straw that drove me to buy a house.

[guido]

There are mixes available that contain no shells so there is very little waste... But home ownership in the right spot does improve the bird watching immensely...

[j44ke]

Appreciate everyone's advice, we have a lot to think about. We'll start incorporating some of the ideas posted shortly. On a side we get some really cool birds so far at our feeders. There's a woodpecker that visits regularily, and lot's of colorful birds in addition to the typical little brown birds that seem to be everywhere. In fact I've been surprised just how many bright colored birds there are around here, as I thought those were a tropical thing. :)

Recommended.



They also make an iPhone app which is actually pretty good and includes song recordings (which you should listen to out of earshot from the birds, not to attract them, especially during breeding season.)

[j44ke]

Colorful birds are found all over. This is a King Eider that spends most of its time in the North Atlantic and breeds in the Arctic tundra.

[jclay]

Appreciate everyone's advice, we have a lot to think about. We'll start incorporating some of the ideas posted shortly. On a side we get some really cool birds so far at our feeders. There's a woodpecker that visits regularily, and lot's of colorful birds in addition to the typical little brown birds that seem to be everywhere. In fact I've been surprised just how many bright colored birds there are around here, as I thought those were a tropical thing. :)

Folks have posted some interesting info here. I don't know much, anything really, but we're apparently in a cardinal rich environment; Audubon feeder (black oil sunflower seeds exclusively) between the house and a shrub/tree hedgerow about 20' from the house, all in a forest. Good protection and concealment for the birds. It takes a while for them to get accustomed to, or anchored to, the feeder. Weeks of diligently keeping the seed and water topped off before things take off, but once done there's no end to the cardinals we get. In terms of survival though water is the key. It's far more important for the birds than food.

The mindblowers for us, here, have been visits by Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Summer Tanagers and Scarlet Tanagers, just a few times for each, over a 25 year period.

Good luck with the cardinal project!

[monadnocky]

The mindblowers for us, here, have been visits by Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, Summer Tanagers and Scarlet Tanagers, just a few times for each, over a 25 year period.

Biggest scrum of scarlet tanagers I've ever seen was in Prospect Park. It was surreal, and spectacular. Glad you got to see a few.

[j44ke]

I heard singing scarlet tanagers, Baltimore orioles and rose-breasted grosbeaks on my ride today along the Palisades in NJ. A bright as they are, they are often in the tops of the trees when they are singing and shield themselves skillfully with leaves. Learning the songs helps a lot.

[thollandpe]

Being somewhat shy, they tend to like to have a bush or shrub near the feeder to allow them to check things out before going to an exposed feeder...

We have a blue spruce across the driveway from the feeder that the cardinals adore. We seem to have two pairs now.

The safflower seeds just seemed to really pare down the other birds on the feeders, although the few that really liked them were adorable. We're done with those.

Airsoft gun for the squirrels. 8 feet above ground for the bears. There's no keeping squirrels off the suet cakes, even the threat of non-lethal firepower. Dogs keep the bears at bay too.

[jumphigher]

As I read the replies I realize I should've mentioned we live on the 2nd floor. And that post about the birds making a mess is right on target, they throw seeds EVERYWHERE, some of them digging through the food and flinging whatever they dont like aside. It's definitely made me wonder if the people under us are getting inundated with seeds and shells. Oh and yeah, we have one squirrel that comes every day to see what he can pick up on the balcony floor. He's ok, I dont mind if he gets a few seeds here and there. Plus our 3 rescue cats enjoy watching him.

So far so good though, today while Grace was staring outside a bright red cardinal we hadnt seen before suddenly flew up to do a recon on one of the feeders, she (Grace) was pretty stoked. I appreciate all the recommendatiosn for feeders, books, and other related items and will give careful consideration to all comments.

I see many cardinals in our future. :)

[11.4]

I've birded all over the world and have a garden filled with bird feeders, ponds, plants for birds, birdhouses, you name it.

I'd recommend getting an app for phone and tablet called iBird. It's stronger than the Sibley or NGS apps and links to all kinds of resources.

J44's comment about cardinal territoriality is key here. It's like trying to watch hummingbirds in the spring. They all stake out territory and don't allow other bird pairs within sight.

After that, it's mostly about time. It can take a full resident season for cardinals to come preferentially to your feeders, and you'll see much better performance next spring.

It's hard for cardinals with their short wide beaks to get into many suet feeders, but they do like fruit, suet, whole unshelled peanuts, and similar foods. Some variety can get their attention and bring them right to your kitchen window. You may have the advantage of feeder locations that squirrels can't get to easily.