How do tube bird feeders work

Curiosity with how a tubular seed feeder works will find not much goes in to this very basic bird feeder at all, yet its still interesting to know in order to avoid seed waste.

How do tube bird feeders work when they are designed to store a mix of seeds, operate in a way that compresses the seed mix to prevent them spilling out each and every port well on the tubular seed feeder. When bird seeds are taken, more seeds replenish the gap made, as seeds are slowly filtered through.

Be it a clear plastic tubular seed or nectar bird feeder, all these types of feeders work in the same way, to keep the contents securely stored within the feeder.

On this, I will mostly be referring the ever popular bird seed feeders, and how they work to dispense a mix of seeds to our common backyard birds.

As it happens, there isn't much functionality in a basic seed feeder, but it still remains highly practical when feeding birds in your yard.

How any tube seed feeder works, will dispense bird seeds via any available port well made available on the seed feeder - in a way the seeds are kept securely in the feeder - yet the bulk of seeds will replenish at the port wells as birds take seeds away.

Bird seed feeders dispense wild bird seeds at the port wells which is seen to filter out the seeds in a way the seeds are unable to just spill out as if it were fine sand.

How that works is the tube seed feeder uses a roof feature attached inside the feeder, and above each port well, in order to prevent seeds spilling at a colossal rate.

You'll notice when birds stop using an empty seed feeder - there's still a little mix of seeds, and seed dust - remaining at the bottom of the seed feeder. Unfortunately the seeds are now out of reach, thus its time to replenish with new.

Do keep tube bird feeders full as they work best that way, with the bonus being a well replenished seed feeder likely found by curious wild birds who will avoid an empty one.

Seed feeders are among the easiest bird feeders you can use in your yard, with only a screw open or pop off lid made available to fill it with seeds.

Seeds dispensed in opening

When it comes to how a tube bird feeder works when its intended to store all kinds of bird seeds, seeds will be fed to seed-eating birds on this type of bird feeder via multiple port well holes that surround the tubular seed feeder.

Seed feeders are made to hold a specific type of seed, with size of the seed a vitally important component - in order for the seed feeder to operate as it should.

How it works is, the seed mix will gently dispense out through each and every available port well, until the seeds are gone.

Birds will slowly feed on the seed mix and as a result, the seed level will lower before reaching the port wells.

Port wells being where birds perch near to, in order to eat the seeds as they poke their bills in to take their favorite seeds.

Common, long clear plastic tubular shape seed feeders may have just the two port wells opposite - along with an adjacent perch placement - with the highest placed port wells becoming redundant as soon as the seed mix pass below them.

Lowest position port wells will then be the only location wild birds can land on to access the remaining seeds.

Compatible seed mixes that will work in this type of seed feeder are sunflower seeds, millet and other chunky wild bird feed, like crushed peanuts or cracked corn.

Seeds compress to stable mix

You've now learned wild birds access the seed mix in any one of the multiple port wells, that act as an opening in the seed feeder for birds to eat the available seeds.

With this often wide open gap that has a minimum of two port wells, with a maximum of six wells situated around this clear tube seed feeder - just how do seeds stay inside the seed feeder without spilling out.

Well, how a tube bird feeder works to keep the seed mix firmly in the bird feeder, is to rely on the weight of the seed mix itself.

You see, there's a roof-like canopy on the inside of every available port well, which in turns produces an opening for the wild birds, yet at the same time will force the seeds to steer clear of the openings.

With that, the seed mix will press into a solid mold on top while the seed mix is commonly dispensed to wild birds at the bottom area.

As wild birds feed on this bottom area the seeds will slowly begin to filter downwards, to fill the gap the wild birds have created when pulling out seeds.

Bird seed feeders will mostly be opened with a pop off or screw open lid at the top, where the seeds are put in to the tube like any clear plastic bottle or container. Doing so will ensure the seeds stabilize - and therefore compress - as they fill to the top.

Small seeds require special feeder

So far I have only referred to the type of seed mixes favored by most common backyard birds, with sunflower seeds or millet making up the bulk of the mix.

When it comes to more specialty seed mixes then unfortunately this kind of widely available but cheaper seed bird feeder won't be compatible with such seed mixes, as the super small seeds will simply spill through the feeder.

Specialty seed bird feeders I am mostly referring to are what are called Nyjer seed feeders, which are designed only to store nyjer seeds - or niger seed as its also known.

Nyjer seeds are incredibly miniscule seeds that are favored by many Finches, that will go in a Nyjer seed feeder - or what can be a Finch or thistle feeder - made to store only thistle and Nyjer seeds.

Thistle or Nyjer seeds will go in a classic tube bird feeder, but they will only store as they should if the Nyjer is mixed in with sunflower seeds and, or millet to stabilize it.

Nyjer and thistle seeds are so tiny they will spill profoundly out of a regular seed feeder port well, just as if you're pouring sand through it.

With that, thistle or Nyjer seed feeders will still go in a tube bird feeder, only the port well openings are designed to hold this small seed mix in the feeder - thus forcing Finches and others to poke this bills in between far smaller gaps.

Upright to prevent spills

How tube bird feeders work, including universal seed feeders, Hummingbird and Oriole nectar feeders, is that they operate in a way the liquid or seed mix must remain stable.

Seed mixes as you may have found out by now do have a tenancy of spilling a little as you replenish the seed feeder with a mix of new seeds.

Really there isn't much you can do about it and if you could, its not really worth it.

For any tube seed feeder to work as it should, it must be stabilized as it hangs off the bird feeder pole or branch; as you risk losing a ton of seeds that will 100% spill as the seed feeder swings wherever its suspended.

With that in mind, seed bird feeders in particular must be kept upright when they are being replenished, and then put back up on their hanging position with due care and attention.

Failing to keep the seed bird feeder at a 90° or 0° angle at all times will result in seeds spilling out of each and every available port well.

Some seeds will spill regardless but its vital to avoid tipping a full or partially filled seed feeder, as you will lose many seeds on the ground.

Made easy to replenish

You see your typical clear plastic tube bird feeder that is made to store all kinds of wild bird seeds, will function just as it should if filled with the correct bird seeds.

In time it will deteriorate in an outdoor environment but at least any kind of seed feeder is made super easy to use.

Seed feeders will always be fully assembled, but to use a seed feeder you will only need to screw it open - or if its a pop open seed feeder lid - to gain access to the tube interior.

With the lid popped off completely, or still attached to the metal hanger that acts as the device to suspend the seed feeder with - simply pour in as many seeds as you wish.

Not only do most tube bird feeders all function like this, they can be very easy to disassemble as you clean the tube bird feeder with a simple dish soap solution - or a part water/vinegar disinfectant.

Fill the seed feeder to the top or part of the way up depending on how many seeds you anticipate will be eaten in a reasonable time.

To little seeds must still come above the lowest port wells to keep the seed mix accessible to birds, with to many seeds only going to waste if its not a popular feeder.

To Summarize

When it comes to a tube bird feeder that is made to store all kinds of seed mixes, they are always as basic as they seem, with no bells and whistles.

Seeds stored away in what is essentially a clear plastic tube, will slowly filter down the seed feeder as wild birds take the seeds away in their bill.

As a result, the compressed seeds piled above will slowly filter down to any gap opening up, as seeds are taken away. Its unlikely this will cause the seeds to spill out via the port well, yet some waste is expected.

Internally, each port well - which is the area where birds perch to feed on the seeds through a gap - will feature a roof-like device above each port well which is designed to stop the seeds spilling.

Birds can only feed on the seed mix on the bottom section, as the top is cut off, while the back area will be out of reach.

All this leads to a seed bird feeder dispensing compatible wild bird seeds in a way all seeds stay within reach at the port well holes.

Compatible seeds must be used, thus sunflower seeds and millet will go in a classic tube seed feeder, with thistle or Nyjer seeds going in to a specific thistle seed feeder, as the extra small port well gaps will stop these tiny seeds spilling.

How you handle a seed feeder is similar to using a nectar-filled Oriole or Hummingbird feeder; the feeder has to be kept upright at all times when its full, as the contents will spill via any port well hole if you hold it at an angle.

Share this article: