-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Why won't birds go to my red feeder (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Vtmimi
- Start date
Hi Vtmimi and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.
I've moved your post to the Food and Feeders forum and subscribed you to the thread so you can find it easily. I'm sure someone will be along soon to help you.
To post on the forum, simply find the most appropriate sub forum for your subject and click into it, then click on the big red New Thread button at the top. Hope this helps, but please don't be afraid to ask if you want help.
I've moved your post to the Food and Feeders forum and subscribed you to the thread so you can find it easily. I'm sure someone will be along soon to help you.
To post on the forum, simply find the most appropriate sub forum for your subject and click into it, then click on the big red New Thread button at the top. Hope this helps, but please don't be afraid to ask if you want help.
AmazonSupreme12
(AS)
Hi there Vtmimi! Welcome to the Forum, I am sure you will enjoy it here :t:
Which birds are currently feeding at your feeders? Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, while other birds do not feed at red feeders.
Cheers
Which birds are currently feeding at your feeders? Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red, while other birds do not feed at red feeders.
Cheers
Seeding eating birds do go to red feeders,at least they do in my yard where I've had red ones in the past. Why they're not patronizing yours, I don't know. Is the content the same as the tube feeder's? Have you had it out as long as the others? Sometimes it takes birds a while to get use to a new feeder.
Hi David and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.
Not sure I can explain this really. Is it in the same position as the old one?
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
Not sure I can explain this really. Is it in the same position as the old one?
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.
Yes, it's 100% in the same place. And it's approximately 1mtr away from a cage feeder which I put different foods in and about 2mtrs away from a free standing terracotta feeder with water and mealworm inside. The birds still visit the other two with no change but TOTALLY ignore the red one!!!!! Its absolutely driving me nuts why... But also keeping me occupied. What I will say is, beautiful birds but "DAM MAGPIES"... Recently raiding my feeders. It don't stop the other birds between there visits but it absolutely cleans up, which is OK but the trouble is the more I put out the more they take so the other birds are definitely missing out...
Oh well.... better just enjoy the Magpies and their antics.
Actually you're lucky to have them - they're very rare here. I saw two in the neighbour's garden back at Christmas time! They do have some pretty iridescence when the light catches them right!
Actually you're lucky to have them - they're very rare here. I saw two in the neighbour's garden back at Christmas time! They do have some pretty iridescence when the light catches them right!
Yes, they have some beautiful colours in the black plumage. Magpies are everywhere here. And like all corvids are so intelligent. Near us there is a long hill with trees either side which are full of all birds but loads of MAGPIES too. But they have learnt to drive birds in front of vehicles to get a road kill meal. I was speaking to a bloke who lives there and is a bit of an ornithologist and he thinks that they have even learnt they get better results by driving birds in front of large lorries and busses etc... Now that is AMAZING... I do love Corvids....Oh well.... better just enjoy the Magpies and their antics.
Actually you're lucky to have them - they're very rare here. I saw two in the neighbour's garden back at Christmas time! They do have some pretty iridescence when the light catches them right!
Still not visiting my red feeder. Same type as the old one it replaced, in exactly the same spot and holds the exact same food. The only difference is that half of it is red!!!??? So frustrating. Been there about 5 days without one single visit!!!!! The other two types of feeders 1 & 2 Mtrs away are visited constantly right next to it but they are ignoring the red one. I know red is a danger signal, I know most animals do not see red so well but I've seen many well used red feeders. Why not mine? Getting a complex? Lol... Cheers all.... D
Jill Morgan
Member
I have a new small red feeder as well and the birds are ignoring it. I put up a new yellow feeder and they had no trouble with that one but the one beside it is also yellow. The yellow feeders have nyjer seed (can't keep up with the Goldfinches and their love of the nyjer seed) and the new red one has a song bird mix. They eat the mix out of the flat feeder fine, and another mesh feeder I have, but will fight over the yellow feeders while the red one sits idle. Did have a hummingbird check it out, but that is about it. I am assuming it will just take time for them to realize it's there and safe to use. Who knows what goes on in a bird's head?
Me too... There still ignoring it!!! Had birds at that group of feeders all day long but not the red one WHATSOEVER! Not even a sniff. I've not even seen one land on it. Its so strange because its the same type of feeder as its predecessor in exactly the same place with the exact same feed. The only difference is half the old feeder was green but is now red! Minutes before I swopped the feeders over there were birds on the partly green one but ignored it a few minutes later because its red. So strange... The red part is the plastic part they land on and also bungs the clear perspex cylinder which holds the feed. Its been about 6 days I think without being touched. I'm going to persevere with it for the time being to see what happens if anything. One more thing, are Indian Poppadoms OK for birds? Not sure about the oil there cooked in! Because last week we got an Indian takeaway and ate it outside but ended up leaving a large plate full on the garden table. I realised the next morning between 10-11am but they were literally ALL GONE. It was nearly dark when we finished eating the previous night so all the damage was done that morning and it could only of been birds because our rear garden is like a court yard so not much can get in. Saying that, I found a large toad the other day. We don't have a pond but it had worked its way in to a long flat rain sodden cardboard box which had metal cladded sheets in for a garden shed. How did he get in to the garden and the box? Especially as u also have to go up steps to reach our garden! Animals are truly AMAZING...
Hi David
Human food in general is not suitable for most birds as there is a high salt content, which they are unable to process. Seabirds have a special gland for this).
However, as it was overnight, it could have been mammals, such as rats that consumed the remains.
Jill Morgan
Member
I finally had a female cowbird at my red feeder today. And two frustrated hummingbirds. So going to remove the red one and get a different colour and won't put it back out till winter. I have a couple of hummingbird feeders I bought the other day to put out. Just made my hummingbird mix and waiting for it to cool. So not good to have red feeders as they attract hummingbirds and of course the food is useless to them.
Last edited:
My red feeder has still not been touched!!!! I can't believe it. Had LOADS of birds All over the square cage feeder which is 3 feet away from the red one but not one single bird has even touched it!!!!!! Why... I thought like everyone else did that once they were use to the red one they would be on it?! But no, it's not been touched in over two weeks!!!!! Someone please tell me WHY???? Is it the colour of danger? I doubt it because there all around it but don't touch it! Is it because animals don't see the colour red very well?
I'm completely stumped so any info from anyone as to why would be appreciated. I'm going to keep it up a while just to see...
STILL NOT GONE TO THAT RED FEEDER!!!! Not even one single peck! Why oh why?
MissMagpie
Registered User
This study suggests that birds don't seem to like red feeders as a whole - I'm not a scientist/data analyst so can't comment on the quality of the methodology but certainly interesting to read. Colour preferences of UK garden birds at supplementary seed feeders
Jill Morgan
Member
Once I put my hummingbird feeder out and they got used to that one, I rehung my red feeder. I still only get Cowbirds to the red feeder. The smaller birds vary in their food preference, with the Gold finches preferring the Nyjer Seed, but do go to the flat feeder with the sunflower seeds. The Purple Finches prefer the sunflower seeds but do go to the nyjer seed feeders. The Grosbeaks stick to the sunflower seeds. In my red feeder I have a songbird mix so the colour of the feed is basically yellow. I am thinking of filling it with sunflower seeds just to see what happens. All the Woodpeckers stick to the suet and the peanuts that are mixed in with the sunflower seeds. Blue Jays go for the peanuts first, then the sunflower seeds.
My nyjer seed feeders are both yellow, but the black of the seed dominates the colour. Could be right now that is what their preference is to eat. I will find out when I switch out the feed in my red feeder and see if that makes a difference. I had also put songbird mix in my blue feeder and no birds are bothering with that one either.
Does your red feeder have the same feed as the others?
Jill
My nyjer seed feeders are both yellow, but the black of the seed dominates the colour. Could be right now that is what their preference is to eat. I will find out when I switch out the feed in my red feeder and see if that makes a difference. I had also put songbird mix in my blue feeder and no birds are bothering with that one either.
Does your red feeder have the same feed as the others?
Jill
