Platform Feeders

A table of delectable bird food

Although birds traditionally are seen hovering over or perching on a hanging feeder, this is not always their preferred method of feeding. Choosing a bird feeder for your yard has a lot to do with the type of birds you want to attract. Ground feeders, like quails and mourning doves, prefer a feeder that allows them to land and peck at the seed. A platform feeder, or bird table, allows these birds to ground-feed in their natural fashion, which will attract more of them for your viewing pleasure.

Platform feeders are the simplest feeders you can build or buy - they're essentially tables that are mounted in your yard and covered in birdseed or other tasty bird food and treats. They also attract the biggest number of wild birds, so you're sure to get a variety. It's hard to know why this is - some people think that the birds just like landing in a pile of seed. Many birds like to stand on a feeder as opposed to perching on one.

You can place a bird table anywhere in your garden, but the best place to put it for ground-feeding birds is about a foot off the ground in the middle of your yard. These feeders can be pole-mounted, hung or simply placed on the ground, whatever suits your fancy, but you should make sure to place it away from any bushes or closely-growing trees so that predators can't sneak up on your birds. Bird tables are not the best for avoiding common pests, so be warned that animals may raid it from time to time.

Some store-bought feeders also have a mesh bottom that allows moisture and droppings to fall through the table, leaving the food untouched. This is important because your birds can contract disease from eating spoiled or contaminated food, not to mention any other animals that come to eat from your feeder.

Take care of your ground feeder by regularly sweeping off old seed husks and dried bird droppings. If you're building a table, you might want to roof it to keep rain or snow off. Make sure that no metal parts are exposed in very hot and very cold weather. Check the seed regularly for mold and mildew and change it as often as possible. It's good to go out and actually look closely at the seed, because a feeder full of husks can look like a full bird table.

Be sure, if you start feeding birds in the colder months, that you continue to keep their feeder full, because they may become dependent on your offerings in a hard winter.