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Changing the type of food in a bird feeder

Posted on November 10th, 2009 in Bird Feeding Problems by Trish

A while ago I had this question from America -

It’s fall and I wonder  if the birds store sunflower seeds for winter.  My feeder has always had sunflower seed and the chickadees, nuthatchers and finches are steady.  Will it confuse or hinder winter feeding it I change to nyjer seed?

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Hi, Believe it or not this is a tricky question.

Whenever I put a different kind of bird food into a bird feeder the bird food is never eaten.  When I put the original bird food back in the feeder it is soon eaten and emptied. 

Birds do rely on the food we put out – it does help them survive.  With winter coming on I think it will confuse them if another type of bird food is in the fooder.

Some of the visiting birds would have to look for food elsewhere and this at a time of year when they need their energy.

Could you try changing the bird food in summer when there is more food about for them?

Another idea – could you buy a new small feeder and put the nyjer seed in that.  Have two feeders side by side.   Or put a little food in a dish in the ground.

It seems a shame if you are having a steady stream of birds, to change the food and upset them.  Maybe I am biased because I never got any birds at my nyjer feeder.  In winter I still pour melted fat over the bird food which sometimes includes njyer seeds and put it on the bird table.

I put different types of bird food in the bird table and that seems to get eaten. I don’t know why different food on the bird table gets eater,but different food in the bird feeders does not.

You ask if birds store food.  In England Coal Tits hoard food.  They take the food, hide their food away, sometimes in the ground, sometimes in a tree.  They carry off nuts and store them in hiding places.  Nuts are nutritious and store well.  They also collect and store insects for a timd when there is no food.  The bird remembers the exact location.

 I know not every bird stores food.  So again the answer will be different depending on what bird we are chatting about.  That is why birds are so interesting isn’t it?

By the way good to hear from you.  You must live in America.  Can I ask which area.

Hope this answer helps.  Let me know how you get on.  Best. Trisha

Has anyone else any ideas or suggestions

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2 Responses to 'Changing the type of food in a bird feeder'

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  1. mary said,

    on December 16th, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    I wonder if suet can spread disease amongst birds because they share it. should i worry about it.

  2. Trish said,

    on December 17th, 2009 at 11:26 pm

    I understand what you mean, but I don’t think you should worry about suet spreading disease among birds because they share the sute.

    Suet is a good bird food. Birds share a lot of things – they share bathing water, they roost together, they use the same feeders and the same bird tables.

    It is good of you to worry about it. Do you use suet a lot and do you enjoy bird feeding? Thanks for getting in touch and happy bird feeding

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