Why don't the birds like my fruit? (rabbits, mice, turkey)

[Blinx]

I've heard that you can attract non-seed-eating birds by putting out fruit. So I cut an apple and orange in half and put them in a suet feeder. After about a month, the only thing that's landed on it is a wren that got confused -- it quickly hopped to the suet feeder in the next window.

Are they just not in my area? (suburbs of Philadelphia). I get tons of chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers, finches, sparrows, etc.

[harry chickpea]

Never heard of that. Maybe some small berries would attract them, but I never saw birds around our orange trees in Florida, and the birds in apple trees seem more interested in nesting than the fruit.

[jtur88]

It has to do with the season of the year. Northern winter birds do not depend much on the availability of fruit. But when spring migration stats, you will see a lot more birds who have become addicted to fruits all winter in South American.

[Blinx]

Originally Posted by jtur88

It has to do with the season of the year. Northern winter birds do not depend much on the availability of fruit. But when spring migration stats, you will see a lot more birds who have become addicted to fruits all winter in South American.

Ooh - something nice to look forward to. Thanks!

[fisheye]

If you toss an apple on your lawn here in PA; chances are that a squirrel will run off with it or a deer will eat it. Wild turkeys will also peck at it and rabbits will nibble it. If you toss out citrus fruit very few animals will even come close. Usually citrus fruit will just rot. I do think that crows will sometimes peck at it – but crows are scavengers and probably have more experience with citrus fruit in the garbage.

I do not think of apples as a 'bird food'. Although crows love to eat ripe apples, pears and peaches right off the tree. But when these large birds do eat fruit; they peck holes in the fruit – they do not consume the whole fruit.

[gentlearts]

The Wild Birds website says it can take years to lure orioles to your yard unless they are already around. It said many types of birds like orange halves, grapes and raisins. I'm trying them this year to see what I get.