Can anyone recommend a vacuum to pick up bird seeds outside?

[fisheye]

If you have a rotary mower maybe you could buy a bagging attachment? Many of our mowers will suck up most of the dry seeds. They would not work if the seeds are wet or started to root; but you could still cut the weeds from the seeds.

Like somebody else mentioned you could buy pavers; they are cheap with one foot square pavers selling for about $2 each. That would mean that you could have a 3 foot square space below your feeder for less that $20 or a 10X10 square for less that $200. Of course you could pick the size. I would not worry about birds falling; if they do fall their time is probably already over (they do die from natural causes). You would be more likely to spread an avian flu from forcing birds to congregate in one central location.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by AstralProjection

I've seen birds fight for food and push each other off the feeder and I remember once a bird fell to the ground so concrete would be too dangerous

good point

Originally Posted by oldgardener

That has never been a problem.

maybe not for you but the birds would say differently if they weren't knocked unconscious

Originally Posted by mike1003

Try squirrels

pillows would work better

[luv4horses]

Just use a good old fashioned shop vacuum. Craftsman makes a good one.

[ClubMike]

I think you need more birds. I never have the problem with seed on the ground.

[G Grasshopper]

I have really had problems with seed on the ground. When I had a feeder on a deck, I had raccoons tear out pieces of the decking to get to a few seeds. (Repairs needed.) So I moved the feeders to be on the lawn. Then I had millet sprouting up with the grass. Changed to non-millet bird seed, then the squirrels destroyed the grass under the feeder, digging up sunflower seeds. I never had a cement surface, so I guess that would be next. But I moved, and the first feeder I put out was attacked by rats. So I don't feed the birds.