How tall should bird feeders be
Length of a bird feeder isn't a feature that will see success or fail, in fact the taller a feeder is will result in a higher capacity for bird food, and will be ideal for busy gardens.
Why you would go for a tall bird feeder would be to open up the feeding area to accommodate many birds at any given time. No specific height is required but there's always an option for a wider feeder over length. Go tall to allow multiple feeding birds, with a small feeder used in quieter, less busy with birds' gardens.
Really, how tall do you want any type of bird feeder to be, because it really depends on personal taste, and the needs of your visiting wild birds.
Tall bird feeders usually correlate to large size bird feeders, so unless you receive a large number of wild birds frequenting your bird feeders on a daily basis, you can simply continue to use a small to medium size feeder with just as much success.
Short or tall bird feeder needs will depend on how much bird food is eaten, thus a larger capacity can save you several trips in any week as you re-fill each and every feeder.
Multiple birds can feed on taller bird feeders but of course that isn't to say you must replenish it to the top, knowing the bird food will go to waste as it expires before its eaten up in less than a week.
If your bird feeder is too tall then don't sweat it, just use less peanuts or seeds to avoid waste.
Average height of a seed or peanut feeder would be 6 to 8 inches, whereby the tallest can extend to 24 inches from the lid to the tip of the bottom.
And there you have it, a tall bird feeder would correlate to a higher capacity bird feeder, which means its designed to hold a large quantity of bird food, whereas the feeder style could be wider rather than going longer in height every time.
No bird feeder height requirement
I can say the overall height of any kind of bird feeder you may utilize in your garden won't make any difference to the success or fail of feeding birds in the yard.
How tall a bird feeder must be is therefore none and void, meaning there's no height requirement.
For sure a bird house must be a certain height and in many respects, so can a bird bath be tall when its made to be a certain height off the ground, if its mounted to a stand; which of course will keep wild birds far off the ground, in safety.
Where a bird feeder is tall, such as a tubular clear plastic seed feeder or wire peanut feeder, then of course that will classify the feeder as a larger size.
How tall a bird feeder must be though will completely depend on your needs; thus its vital to only invest in a tall, and therefore a larger bird feeder if you are sure the bird food will be consumed before its no longer safe for birds to eat.
Remember, if little bird food is eaten in any given day over several days, then a smaller bird feeder would be sufficient enough for your needs.
Height correlates to size
How tall should a bird feeder be will come down to how busy your garden is with the wild birds who frequent your yard, and therefore your bird feeders on a daily basis.
What that will mean for you is the need to buy a much larger bird feeder, which can be wider of course - with bird feeders made to be long in length to keep certain birds off - while catering to species you only wish to attract to feed.
Height of a peanut, seed or even a long cage-like suet fat ball feeder will correlate to its size; if it has a high capacity then it will be a tall or wide bird feeder by comparison.
No need to go tall though when a wider bird feeder can be utilized just as successfully.
With some bird feeders that comes in only 8 inches or so, as this length can then extend to 24 inches in a tubular-like style seed feeder.
Why you would prioritize such as lengthy seed or peanut bird feeder is if you know the bird food will be eaten up by birds in days.
With that, there's no need to replenish bird feeders as often, as you'd expect your reliable visiting wild birds to eat them up like clockwork.
Go tall to allow multiple birds
If you are lucky enough to receive visitations by many Blue Jays to Bluebirds, Finches to Sparrows all through the day, then by all means utilize tall bird feeders.
Birds of all species can share a tall bird feeder because in case of a seed tube feeder, it will feature multiple feeding ports where up to 6 or 8 birds can feed at any given time.
Shorten that same feeder to a small 2 port feeding hole style, then birds can be seen to scrap or fight, make a lot of noise or disappear all together.
Make use of a tall bird feeder like this so many wild birds can converge on the bird feeder that won't restrict their feeding time, so hopefully won't cause too much trouble in the process.
The best type of hummingbird feeders are those styles with an inverted nectar bottle, although smaller, disc shape hummingbird feeders have their benefits. Which includes better visibility for you, with less surface to clean and maintain.
On the negative side, taller bird feeders and therefore larger bird feeders will open up the feeder area to perhaps nuisance starlings or large birds who raid feeders. Crows can be less of an issue on bird feeders yet pigeons are always going to be present.
Favor short, wide bird feeders
Go tall if that is the style you prefer in seed, peanut or wire suet bird feeders, though I must admit the wider clear plastic, lantern style or panoramic seed style feeders are far more attractive when hung up in a tree or off a bird feeder pole.
Favor a short, wide bird feeder if you must but avoid a spill-tray or wide perching area if you must to keep larger birds off the feeder.
Wide bird feeders are just as effective as taller feeders, only a short bird feeder will remain clear off the ground by default.
Remember, the taller the bird feeder is, the closer it becomes to the ground. Result of that is, a feeder full of bird food coming within reach of squirrels, raccoon's or quite possibly your pet cat or dog.
When choosing a bird feeder that is wide while remaining short, would require no additional hanging or mounting techniques.
How tall must a bird feeder be is up to you of course, but its easy to forget a super tall feeder will need re-adjusting to maintain the all important 4-6 feet off the ground clearing.
Summary
I know there's a lot to think about when setting up bird feeders for the first time, or indeed renewing your current bird feeder selection after many years of the same few being used.
Well, I can assure you how tall should a bird feeder be, from the top of the lid to the point at the bottom, doesn't matter one little bit. That's right, there is no height requirement for any kind of bird feeder.
Height will correlate to how big the seed, peanut or any kind of bird feeder is, but you'll also find a large bird feeder doesn't necessary go long in length, but it may be made wider.
Go for a tall or wide larger bird feeder if you wish but unless the bird food that is set out for your birds is eaten before it expires, you may as well continue to use a small to medium size bird feeder.
How tall or wide you like will be understanding how many birds swarm on your bird feeders on a daily basis, therefore it would be imperative to open up more feeding space with taller feeders.
If you find it can get congested at your bird feeders then you may notice the birds get louder, and therefore are seen to fight or argue.
In the meantime I would suggest you continue to use a small to medium size bird feeder if few birds are seen at your feeder, or any feeders at any given time.
Share this article:
