The Feeder Log
A working record of backyard bird feeders.
What they cost, how they hold up through a winter, and what it takes to keep them clean enough to be worth hanging.
What gets logged here
Feeders
Which type suits which yard, what the plastic costs you in year two, and when a cheap feeder is the right call.
Upkeep
Cleaning schedules, what mould and residue actually look like, and the parts that fail first.
Seed
What each seed attracts, what gets kicked to the ground, and where the money is wasted.
Squirrels
What holds them off, what only slows them down, and what they chew straight through.
Latest entries
All articlesHow to Clean a Bird Feeder (and How Often)
How to clean a bird feeder: scrub the debris off first, soak ten minutes in one part bleach to nine parts water, dry fully. Why soap alone is not enough.
How to Keep Squirrels Off Bird Feeders (and Why Most Fixes Only Buy Time)
How to keep squirrels off bird feeders: ten feet of clearance and a metal baffle set four to five feet up. Why seed tricks and thin plastic only buy time.
About the photographs
The backyard photographs here were taken by yuanyuan, who feeds birds in North America, and are used with permission. Every one of them carries that credit. They are not our photographs and they are not our yards, and every caption says so. More on how this site works.