Are platform bird feeders good

Restrictions apply to all kinds of bird feeders, whatever the feed they are intended to hold, but not so with a platform feeder as the open design will benefit most birds.

Platform bird feeders are good for attracting all bird species, big and small. It doesn't matter what their diet is, because you can set any type of bird food on the flat, often made in wood platform area. Open platform feeders on a pole is a must, but a hanging or ground platform style is an option.

You can't go wrong with a platform bird feeder, as the design is basically a flat, wide sheet of wood mounted on top of a pole, or hanging off chains on a bracket.

Consider the best platform bird feeders to be ones measuring up to 3-4 feet tall off the ground, made in cedar wood with gaps in the corners for moisture to escape.

Height of a platform feeder isn't important, but make sure there's up to four legs for proper balance.

Heavy duty platform feeders in the mounted on a post style are the best ones to buy, because the heavier it is, the less likely it will be prone to toppling over in the wind.

What a platform feeder is intended for, is to offer you a place to feed birds in a fun but tidy manner - so no more throwing seeds over the lawn.

Most popular kind of platform feeder is one mounted on a pole but is open to the elements. If not a ground bird feeder can be just as successful but a hanging platform feeder is to be considered to hang off a tree branch.

Personally, and as referred to in the following, I would only use a pole mounted platform bird feeder to invite as many birds as possible, without restrictions in place. Unfortunately, that also means attracting crows or pigeons which most of us would like to avoid at all costs.

Good for all size birds

There are simply no species of birds a platform bird feeder can't apply to, as this kind of bird feeder is open to all common backyard birds, of any size or shape.

Not always a good thing mind because who only wants to attract Crows or Pigeons; but for attracting friendly, happy songbirds you want to feed in your yard - a platform bird feeder can only be a good thing.

No restrictions in a roof, chains for hanging in many cases, nor is a platform feeder so small, its only made compatible with more agile birds in the yard.

Platform bird feeders are good for accommodating larger Northern Cardinals to Blue Jays, and everything in-between.

On top of that, birds commonly seen at smaller, more restricting hanging bird feeders such as American Goldfinches and Titmice are seen to use a platform feeder.

Similarly, wild birds not accustom to using bird feeders very often, but sometimes do, will be happy to perch on the rim of a platform feeder to eat their favorite feed, if the food is indeed present on the flat platform when in use.

Robins, Bluebirds and Chickadees can use small, harder to use seed feeders, but to throw seeds on a platform feeder would attract these fussy breeds and many more.

All bird food compatible

Platform bird feeders are not only compatible with the less agile, large common birds, but this kind of feeder is open to all bird food imaginable.

And that goes for experimenting with fruits, different kinds of seeds and whole peanuts.

Benefits to that is while trying new bird food for wild birds, there's no need to create a mess on the ground, all while inviting vermin and other pests.

Platform feeders make use of a large flat platform that can just about hold anything.

While not idea for holding fruit or bird food that can roll or blow in the wind; scattered seed mixes plus peanuts in and out of their shell can create a platform area attracted to all birds, whatever their diet might be.

Birds do not always use the platform feeder rim to perch to feed, but instead often prefer to walk over the food, pecking at feed that applies to their dietary needs.

In time you can separate the bird feed into their own corner, while using more or less feed depending on one of the many birds a platform bird feeder is open to, and is currently attracting to it.

Easy to maintain

Unlike the need to clean and maintain classic hanging bird feeders that hold seeds or peanuts, a platform feeder only needs the platform section cleaned.

Its therefore possible to clean a platform feeder with no fuss or time wasted.

Platform bird feeders are easy to maintain over the course of its use, and if you were to thoroughly clean it with hot soapy water two to three times a week; only the wood stain or paint will wear - rather than seeing the beautiful cedar wood platform area decline.

To not clean a platform feeder on a regular basis is no big deal, as any build up of stubborn leftover bird feed can be lifted up with a wallpaper scraper.

In the process of cleaning a platform feeder to keep it in good shape, bacteria and nasty growth needs to be prevented before it happens, as to stop birds getting ill.

Unlike hanging bird feeders that see birds poop onto the ground below it, a platform feeder is more prone to poop because birds can freely walk over the food.

Platform bird feeders are good for cleaning and maintaining, but that benefit is outweighed on other options a little because this type can get more mucky, far sooner.

Platform feeder type good or bad

Of course platform bird feeders certainly outweigh any niggles they can attract, but what the good thing is about platform style feeders, is they do come in different designs.

What I've mostly referred to thus far is the open platform feeder open to the elements, while it is mounted to a post it can be an open feeder in the hanging style or indeed a useful ground platform bird feeder to accommodate ground feeding birds only.

With that in mind, let's take brief look at the good and bad of platform bird feeders:

• Open platform feeder on pole - can be situated around the yard while being open to any wild bird that frequents the backyard
• Hanging platform feeder - open to the elements still but can be a little more restricting as up to four chains are connected to each corner
• Open ground platform feeder - can accommodate most birds that prefer to feed near to the ground, as oppose to on a high vantage point
• Covered platform feeder - featuring a roof can be a platform bird feeder on a pole, be hanging or on the ground, while keeping bird food dry but is more restricting

To be a truly functional yet practical platform feeder, the one to buy would have gaps positioned in each corner to allow rain and moisture to run off.

Conclusion

I'd be hard pressed genuinely looking for a reason not to get a platform bird feeder, as the style certainly offers more benefits to any other kind of traditional bird feeder.

Weather permitted of course, but in that case less food can be used, with the only downside being food is open to the elements - unless of course you prefer a covered platform feeder, with a roof.

What is good about a platform bird feeder is its open design allows for any common backyard bird, large or small - to feed on top of its flat square or rectangular platform.

Less agile birds can land on a platform feeder, but then again it can attract species such as Robins or Bluebirds who would rather avoid using a bird feeder all together.

Both bird species find it hard to access smaller feeders, but there's no stopping them on a simple but highly practical open platform design.

No limit to the bird food you can place on top of the flat platform either, but the whole feeder must be level on the ground to keep food on the platform, rather than see it roll off.

Want a bird feeder that is easy to clean, no problem as the platform kind is basically a flat plank of wood, so any gunk can be easily scrubbed off with a brush or scraped with a wallpaper knife.

Share this article: