[longton52]

Originally Posted by kespen

Good choice, longton52. I see neighbors putting the red mixture in their hummingbird feeders and the hummingbirds don't come near it. We use the same sugar/water mixture as you for ours and they drink it all the time.

We would love to feed some of the other smaller birds, but the pigeons find out about it and bring a few dozen of their closest friends. So that's out for us, unfortunately.

There are a lot of pigeons in my neighborhood, so I expected them to be a problem, but I only see 2-3 of them. They sit on the ground, hoping something will fall out of the feeder.
The thistle feeder seems to be a problem for pigeons; the lip is too narrow for them to perch on, and they can't cling to the feeder itself.

The hummingbirds have been quite active at their feeder lately. Perhaps there aren't enough flowering plants for them right now. I filled it last Sat and it will be empty by tomorrow.

[nitro1320]

I watched my neighbor who lives across the street from me put up his bird feeder. He would diligently keep it nice and full. I would say it took less than a week to have a nice pigeon population of about 25-35 living on top of his neighbors roof. This went on for about 2 months before he finally took it down. Thankfully the pigeons (although not all of them) moved on.

[LVguy]

Originally Posted by longton52

A regular feeder and sunflower seeds will attract lots of pigeons.

Pigeons seem to have a difficult time with a thistle-seed feeder so they don't seem to bother with it and it really attracts the smaller birds.

I also see quite a few hummingbirds so I put up a feeder for them. I don't buy the red powder mixture; I make a natural mix of 4 parts spring water to 1 part sugar. Just a quick boil while stirring it.

Thistle-seed feeder appreciate the suggestion! definitely don't want pigeons. I looked up a few and this one seems decent for me Shop Garden Treasures 2-in-1 Plastic Tube Bird Feeder at Lowes.com

hmm didn't think about water for them, they definitely also need water and it will attract more birds. I will just put a bowl of water nearby I guess. Probably Not going to boil and mix sugar/water it's gonna take too much of my time, but hey thanks for that info and maybe I will do that when I really get into it later.

wow thanks for all the responses, definitely want to avoid pigeons especially having pigeons living on your neighbors' roof lol. I got HOA here but small bird feeder in the back yard should be ok. as long as it doesn't attract too many birds or causing problems like pigeon living on neighbors roof.

[longton52]

the tray on the bottom of that feeder looks too wide ... pigeons will be able to perch on it.

The bird feeder I have is specific to thistle seed ... the tray is only 1" wider than the container itself.


(the water/sugar mix is for hummingbirds)

[LVguy]

too wide? how about those 2

http://www.lowes.com/pd_58337-11986-BY09_0+2z8vi+2z8vj+2z8vk+2z8vl__?productId=4667325 &Ntt=bird+feeder&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1&current URL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_price|0%26Ntt%3Dbird%2Bfeede r%26page%3D1&facetInfo=$1%20-%20$5|$5%20-%20$10|$10%20-$15|$15%20-%20$25

Shop Garden Treasures Glass Hummingbird Feeder at Lowes.com

yeah water/sugar mix is for hummingbirds, just read up on it. so how about water for other birds? they will get it themselves somewhere I guess

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by LVguy

Thistle-seed feeder appreciate the suggestion! definitely don't want pigeons. I looked up a few and this one seems decent for me Shop Garden Treasures 2-in-1 Plastic Tube Bird Feeder at Lowes.com

hmm didn't think about water for them, they definitely also need water and it will attract more birds. I will just put a bowl of water nearby I guess. Probably Not going to boil and mix sugar/water it's gonna take too much of my time, but hey thanks for that info and maybe I will do that when I really get into it later.

wow thanks for all the responses, definitely want to avoid pigeons especially having pigeons living on your neighbors' roof lol. I got HOA here but small bird feeder in the back yard should be ok. as long as it doesn't attract too many birds or causing problems like pigeon living on neighbors roof.

Not too deep! Note the depth of bird baths and how they slope at the edges. There's a reason for that.

[Scott456]

Originally Posted by longton52

There are a lot of pigeons in my neighborhood, so I expected them to be a problem, but I only see 2-3 of them. They sit on the ground, hoping something will fall out of the feeder.
The thistle feeder seems to be a problem for pigeons; the lip is too narrow for them to perch on, and they can't cling to the feeder itself.

Still, your bird feeder is attracting pigeons to your house/your yard. They poop whenever and wherever.

[skugelstadt]

I would have looked for a " non spill" type feeder so less seeds dropping to the ground to attract unwanted rodents etc.

[ScoopLV]

Originally Posted by Scott456

Still, your bird feeder is attracting pigeons to your house/your yard. They poop whenever and wherever.

And the feeder is attracting pigeons to the neighbor's yards, as well. I had to install spikes because of a neighbor. Now we have pigeons living in eaves all over the street.

[Buzz123]

I'm going to be negative here:

My neighbor put bird feeders next to the wall and I had to ask her to stop. I'd go out a count 30 or 40 doves sitting in the tree above one of our lawn chairs, which now has to be cleaned and burned, and above our turtle lawn ornament which is ruined. Plus the wall has to be repainted as the power sprayer wouldn't even take the cra* all off.

When we first moved in I put out a feeder which I kept filled with generic bird seeds. They ate all of it. I kept the seeds in a wooden decorative box marked Bird Seed, and chipmunks and/or mice ate a hole in the back of it and ate the seeds.

My patio was covered in sh**, so I got rid of all of it. If you have a big yard, put the feeders as far away from the house as possible. Better yet, do what the environmentalist say, and don't feed wild animals.

Hummingbirds don't create a mess, so I'd just feed them IF you don't mind the constant work involved. You have to clean them ever couple of days since the sugar draws bacteria that can harm the birds. Make sure you don't use more than a 4:1 ration of sugar to water, and don't use that red stuff you buy at Wal-Mart, as it harms humans and birds.