Can you hang bird feeders in trees

What you may not know is most birds who frequent our yards, forage in trees in the wild, thus a bird feeder hanging in a tree can be seen as second nature to them.

You can hang a bird feeder in a tree with most common backyard birds capable of accessing a bird feeder, if they themselves are able to use a bird feeder. If not an open platform or dish can open bird food to them all. Hang a bird feeder on a mature tree branch while remaining accessible to birds and you at all times.

Few birds who don't forage in trees do so by eating what lands on the ground directly below birds feeders, so therefore no backyard bird is seen to go without.

To hang a bird feeder in a tree can save you a lot of time and hassle, with an abundance of tree branches doubling up a brackets to hang bird feeders.

Where to hang a suet bird feeder in a tree for example can be on the lowest branch to remain accessible - whereas a higher location can be used if only to avoid bears or other backyard pests.

No need to make it difficult on yourself as birds are fully capable of foraging at any height a bird feeder happens to be hanging at in a tree.

Bird feeder food isn't accessible to all birds, thus an hanging platform bird feeder or open dish must be used to at least allow American Robins or Bluebirds to take up your offer - or else they can forage on the ground.

Hang a bird feeder in a tree in an area that can be seen by birds, not so much by those who forage or frequent your tree - but any other bird who lands in your yard or fly's over. Don't waste a great opportunity to feed many bird when you will be feeding only a few.

Bonus of a tree to hang a bird feeder within its dense foliage or in an open area lower down to the ground, can create natural shade.

Shade is vital to keep bird food for longer if its out of direct sun, while the expiry date can be extended further if the bird feeder food is kept out of the rain, which it will be.

Of course none of this applies to nectar-eating Hummingbirds, as they like to feed in a well lit up area with the best place to hang Hummingbird feeders on a bracket off a pole or a similar wall or fence bracket. Perhaps with the exception of suspending Hummingbird feeders off a low down tree limb or low baring branch location.

Be mindful of a possible birdhouse hung off a tree limb or branch - including any natural nests in crevices - of which bird feeders and bird houses must be well separated.

Can hang bird feeders in trees

What you must know about many common backyard bird feeder birds is that their natural feeding habitat is indeed up in trees at a multitude of heights.

To some wild birds eating off bird feeders hanging up in a tree will be second nature.

Of course these same birds can feed lower down in shrubs, weeds or just on the ground, if they're ground eating birds.

Although for many birds, to use a bird feeder hanging up on a mature tree branch, they will need to be seen, as well as all bird feeders remaining accessible at all times.

Birds come to your tree or the tree that is overflowing into your property line in search of insects, berries, nuts and seeds - so imagine their surprise to find a bird feeder filled to the top with their favorites.

You can hang a bird feeder in trees if the branch can take the weight of the bird feeder, or indeed you have the space to hang a specific type of bird feeder.

Best way to hang a bird feeder in a tree is via its attached hoop on hook, or where the chains or wire connects to; in turn an extendable hanger or additional chain can be used to get it over a wider than usual tree branch.

Its all well and good when the available tree branch is a little out of your reach, thus how you hang a bird feeder on a tree may need help of a pole to hook over - along with some sort of pulley system to access the bird feeders when they're needed.

Feeders frequently used in tree

Birds who frequent our bird feeders of all kinds are usually the species who forage up and among the tree branches.

It could be in the center of a dense tree or in light foliage on the outer side. Woodpeckers of which are seen to focus their foraging on peeling back bark in search of insects.

Bird feeders hanging up in the middle of a tree birds frequent is guaranteed to be used by many birds - most of whom will use a bird feeder if it was situated out in the open lower down, hanging several feet above the ground.

Foraging habitats in trees can come at all levels, thus how high to hang a bird feeder in a tree won't matter as much - what is important is its hanging off a strong, mature tree to prevent it falling to the ground.

Birds will continue to forage in the tree but in doing so won't always use a bird feeder.

If your particular bird feeder isn't being used as much as you thought it would be, then it could be you are offering up the wrong kind of bird feeder food - to birds who are frequenting the tree that don't eat what you are offering.

Feeders are frequently used in trees as a way to avoid the hassle of using a bird feeder pole with extra expense - with the tree location working out for the best anyway.

Hang in tree opening

What I will say when using a tree to hang bird feeders is where you hang the bird feeder must remain visible to any birds who may be interested.

To have a tree in your yard will see tree foraging birds up in among the tree anyway, thus will likely see birds stumble across a bird feeder without effort.

If your tree remains a quiet area in your yard with wild birds seen to focus more on a bird feeders rather than foraging as they do in the tree - perhaps because the tree is devoid of natural food - you must situate the tree bird feeder location so it can be seen.

Where you place a bird feeder in the yard is similar to where a bird feeder hangs in a tree - thus it must be seen if its ever going to be used.

Bare, lack of natural foliage trees need no intervention on your part as birds can spot a bird feeder within the branches with ease.

Whereas a densely populated tree with foliage can hide bird feeders away.

What you can do is pick a branch that is located in a clearing, or at least there's less foliage on the outer rim to give birds a clear line of sight. And as birds like to quickly fly off, an opening can benefit them if any danger approaches.

Many birds who forage in trees can do so on the lowest branches, thus a bird feeder hanging off the lowest branch shouldn't be an issue.

I will say though this branch must remain at least 4-6 feet off the ground at all times.

How to hang a bird feeder high in a tree for an visible area to attract more birds may need you to pull out the ladder in the meantime.

Tree cover will provide shade

What is great about hanging bird feeders up in trees, among many other reasons is that a tree is natural cover from the sun.

In addition to that bird feeder food can sustain for a little longer as the cooler conditions will extend the expire date - as long as the bird food remains out of the sun.

Bird feeders can get wet I assure you, but what a bonus as the dense populated leafy tree can in turn keep the bird feeders, and therefore the bird food nice a dry at all times.

Birds can and will use bird feeders in a light drizzle, though birds can be seen to use a bird feeder if it continuous to rain heavily.

Remember, the use of a tree isn't designed to keep bird feeders, and its corresponding bird food dry. The point is to bring a series of much needed wild bird feed to their natural foraging habitat - in which your tree may just prove to be what they come to rely in.

Bird feeders that hold suet, seeds or peanuts for example can be in the sun if they must, though to use a hummingbird feeder within a tree can sustain the nectar for longer.

I will say hummingbirds feed low down on flowers or pluck insects in-flight, or in low down foliage, thus a hummingbird feeder can be in a tree - if only this tree in question is quite a bare, lack of foliage or branches tree.

Strong, mature tree branch only

When thinking about situating a bird feeder up in a tree, what you can hang it off is a mature tree branch only.

Less stable, and therefore more fragile branches can be used if you know it can withstand the weight of a fully loaded bird feeder - along with additional weight caused by feeding birds.

In addition to that you can hang a bird feeder off a tree branch if its right up against the trunk.

To begin with this is the strongest part of any tree branch, while the bird feeder can then lean up against the tree trunk, rather than seen to only hang.

Birds who forage in trees and therefore who use your bird feeder can find it difficult to use an unstable bird feeder, thus to stabilize a bird feeder this way can see an uptake in use.

To remove a bird feeder off a branch to clean or replace with bird feed once or twice a week - can see wear and tear on the branch in due course - while in time the branch can be unsafe to use by hanging heavy bird feeders later.

You'd need a strong branch to continue to re-use time after time. And if using a pulley system to access a bird feeder high in a tree - to keep it away from pests - then this branch must be at least 5 inches thick.

Similarly you may even want to hang a bird feeder between two trees, so the feeder remains out in the open; again the tree branch you pick must be a strong, mature branch to withstand any weight or with all time its pulled and yanked at.

Keep it accessible

Absolutely can you hang a bird feeder in trees, and in doing so you may attract many more common backyard birds who are seen to forage mostly in trees in the wild.

On the downside where you have a bird feeder in and among trees must remain accessible at all times.

Once or twice a week you or the person responsible for cleaning the bird feeders, and therefore replacing old bird food with new - must be within reach of the bird feeders at all times.

Keep it accessible by using a bird feeder that is chest height, or if it must go higher up in the tree, you continue to access it with a ladder or stepping stool - or whatever you originally used to hang the bird feeders up.

Chains or wire used to hang the bird feeder over a branch doesn't need cleaning, but again it must remain in reach to hook over a bird feeder hoop on to it.

Set yourself up in a way the bird feeders can simply be pulled down off its branch, without going through the trouble of disassembling bird feeders or its corresponding wire or chains used to hang.

Summary

You can hang bird feeders in trees with great success, as it happens must bird feeder birds forage high or low in trees, so you can expect bird feeders to see an uptake in use.

Hang bird feeders on a low down tree branch that remains within reach to you, therefore it easier to replenish bird feeder food and therefore clean the bird feeder out once or twice a week.

Birds who frequent your tree can be common backyard birds, with the exception of exclusive ground eating birds such as American Robins, Dark Eyed Junco or the always seen Mourning Dove - who are sure to eat up any spoils dropped below the bird feeder.

How high the bird feeder hangs up in a tree doesn't matter as much, providing it hangs off a nice and solid, mature tree branch.

Cover in a tree can provide much needed shade to bird food that can rapidly germinate if exposed to too much sunshine - with a bonus of dense foliage keeping the bird feeder dry every time it rains.

Where to hang the bird feeder can be any strong tree branch of course with an option to situate it in an area the bird feeder remains visible to passing birds.

Only birds entering the tree may stumble across your bird feeders, whereas there's many missed opportunities if its not seen by all birds who may pass by.

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