How to feed birds without a bird feeder

Rather than being a beacon of light, bird feeders can be more restricting than you would come to realize, though bird feeders are great at preventing bird food rotting so quickly.

How to feed birds without a bird feeder is going to benefit you and your birds more than you know, though it helps to use an old, heavy ceramic cereal bowl to keep the wild bird food confined. Many birds can't use a bird feeder so must go without; not any more as no bird feeder in use can indeed attract more birds.

You know what when offering bird feed without a bird feeder is a good idea even when bird feeders are readily available in the yard.

Not all birds are bird feeder birds as its beyond their natural instincts to even try.

Birds off all species then can benefit more outside of a bird feeder, even if a bird feeder will at least keep bird food dry - as it lasts longer if hanging up.

That isn't to say no bird feeder in use is bad, as I generally believe no feeder has more benefits than the confines of a bird feeder. Having said that, the best way to feed birds I believe is on top of an platform bird feeder.

When its not a good time to feed birds without a bird feeder is if it attract squirrels, thus only bird feeders on a pole can stop the little critters.

To feed birds without a bird feeder can at least call for a bowl to add the bird food in.

How this will help is it can keep wild bird food organized in a way it can be seen to be used up; you will then know when to replenish it, and what bird food to replenish it with more of in due course.

No bowl of any kind doesn't need to be used mind you as birds will eat seeds off the ground, if that is what you are using. To offer birds nut then it must be off the ground as peanuts have a knack of rotting sooner.

In addition to serving up bird food with no bird feeder in tow, I don't believe you can feed hummingbirds without a feeder the same way. In which only applies to your regular nut, insect or seed eating birds in the yard.

Designate a cereal bowl

No bird feeder available, no problem, pull out an old or unused cereal bowl while for now as this bowl will become a designated bird food dish.

Ceramic bowls of any kind are perfect for use with wild birds as the heaviness can benefit you in that is won't tip over or move during use.

You'd pile in any wild bird food to your choosing while positioning it out in the yard for birds to converge on. What that usually means is birds will perch around the rim, rather than stand on the outside to feed inside the bowl.

And as the cereal bowl will be ceramic, it will be weatherproof, and therefore will be able too be used all year round, or until a better wild bird bowl is found.

Bird feeders can be really helpful I won't deny that, though with a cereal bowl only I do admit its lot easier to use, and clean as it happens.

Now a cereal bowl mustn't necessary go on the ground, and if it does remember you are only catering to ground feeding birds.

With that in mind locate your wild bird food filled cereal bowl on a higher up platform anywhere around the yard - providing it remains to be seen while always accessible to any birds who wishes to eat out of it.

Bird food on ground is effective

Once in a while several birds can land in your yard while quickly flying off again to forage for food, unbeknownst to you, that you've wasted a great opportunity.

You see its these quick visits by birds that can lead to them staying for longer to eat out of your cereal bowl - if you have chosen to feed birds this way.

You can go one better by also putting bird seed on the ground as its most likely to benefit ground eating birds, who would only forage on the ground.

When deciding to throw bird seed over the lawn you'd want to continue to use, or be sure to use this method of feeding birds without a bird feeder - in conjunction with a cereal bowl to allow as many birds to eat at one time.

Birds who feed off the ground may not want to eat off a high point, or are unable to like Blue Jays or Northern Cardinals - as they are less agile and too big to tackle a tight spot.

While bird seeds on the ground can be fed to these birds, including Bluebirds and American Robins; House Finches and Goldfinches can be seen to eat out of the bowl higher up... well, all these birds are capable of that really.

This way all birds get to eat in a destination that is similar to where they'd normally forage for in the wild.

What you must look out for when not making use of bird feeders, is any bird food on the ground will lead to pigeons eating what you're offering your favorite birds. If this were to happen to you, you'd need to postpone feeding all birds for now.

Bundle bird seed on branches

How to feed birds without a bird feeder may be just what's needed, because who says a bird feeder is needed every time.

While its not as it can benefit certain bird species more as they don't get on well on bird feeders, thus are never seen to use them at all - even if they do occasionally try.

Most birds in the wild forage for seeds or berries lower to the ground in shrubs, as well as higher up in and amongst the tree branches.

You'd benefit many birds then be bundling seed mixes up on the tree branches for birds to come along and help themselves.

In doing so be sure the seeds can be seen while keeping them in a group for birds to converge on in one spot. Benefit to that is birds don't have to waste more energy than they already do - while you can keep an eye on how much bird seed is used up.

You may not have a tree in your yard which isn't an issue I can assure you, so as you'd have a bit of a lawn at least, you can continue to bundle bird seeds in one spot on there.

Don't just throw bird seeds on the ground when you can keep it more tidy, while seeds are seen to be used up - as oppose to it going unnoticed if sprinkled within the lawn.

Stack nuts on flat surface

I believe your peanuts will be used up far less than any other wild bird food, with that in mind there's certainly an opportunity to offer nuts even without a peanut feeder in use.

What it will involve this time is to find a flat surface around the yard to stack peanuts on.

It can be the table of your garden furniture or why not on top of the trash can if it remains clear of pests or pets.

Nuts can be fed to larger, less able birds such as Blue Jays or Cardinals, who are happy to hop onto a higher point around the yard to feed.

To offer nuts this way will insure they won't go to waste as much, as a secluded, hidden spot will result in more waste for the nuts.

And as peanuts do roll you'd need the flat surface to keep them where they are.

Actually, to be sure to go with my idea of offering all kinds of bird food in an unwanted cereal bowl - of course peanuts or a mix of nuts can be added to a bowl.

Stack up nuts to be seen in the yard while they're best served off the ground, as nuts will rot far sooner then seeds - which tend to be thrown over the ground.

Site bird food mixes on low roof

What this relates to is instead of offering bird feed out of bird feeders and on the ground instead, why not then locate it on an accessible roof for safety reasons.

Not all of you would have such a roof, though a low hanging roof belonging to a shed, an outbuilding or even a gazebo can be used to add random wild bird food to.

If its a tiled roof then you can add the bird food as is, though for wood of even tiled roofs I will still recommend you rely on the use of a cereal bowl to keep the bird food contained, while preventing bird food spilling off.

No pets or pests must be able to access this roof or else you'll be catering to them, more than you would be your common backyard birds.

Keep the bird food on the side of a roof where you can continue to view the bird food bowl - while favoring a shaded side if at all possible.

If you wish to offer wild birds bread then on the roof would be the spot, as to throw bread on the ground can see a real health hazard to birds rapidly develop.

And of course with use of a bird feeder you won't think about offering this kind of thing to at least attract birds to your yard to eat only.

No forgetting insect eating birds

I have to remind you many backyard birds who frequent our yards do so to eat insects, such as earthworms which are eaten out of the lawn.

I therefore ask you to at least consider feeding birds dried or live mealworms on the lawn, where a bird feeder wouldn't be needed any way.

How to attract birds without feeders would be to use live mealworms only, as you'd grab the attention of any passing or short stay birds who are ground eating birds - who will see the wiggling mealworms several feet away.

Live mealworms wouldn't go inside a bird feeder so most people won't bother with the live mealworm kind.

With that in mind you can really take advantage of using live mealworms as its sure to attract more birds than what you are used to.

Live mealworms are not for everyone which is why dried mealworms are far less icky.

Mealworms of any kind won't normally go in a bird feeder but they would a dish; why not pop them in the cereal bowl I keep bringing up then, thus to be sure they are seen where birds commonly forage on your lawn.

Conclusion

How to feed birds without a bird feeder can save you a lot of money and time as it happens, with bird food still used but would be served up in a cereal bowl.

Old cereal bowl would become an exclusive wild bird food dish while never used again for you or the family.

Bird food can be used in what must be a heavy ceramic bowl as it keeps things tidy like a normal bird feeder does - only a bowl must be positioned on a flat surface while making sure it can be accessible at all times.

Designate a cereal bowl to become a wild bird bowl while you must clean it up every once in a while.

To cater to ground eating birds the cereal bowl can be popped on the lawn, while no cereal bowl in use is certainly an option.

In which case you'd need to throw seed mixes over the ground, which would normally be on the lawn - to cater to exclusive ground feeding birds.

If you have a tree in your yard then you are in luck as there's no more a bird likes most than foraging up and among the tree branches. Bundle bird seeds on a crevice or on top of a wide branch for birds to help themselves.

When using nuts they do rot far sooner than seeds, thus to place peanuts on a flat surface can be sure any nut eating birds can find them, with garden furniture a possible location.

Similarly, all this plus any scraps out of the kitchen can be placed within reach on top of a low roof, while the cereal bowl can keep it tidy.

When serving up mealworms to birds, out of a bird feeder is the best option, while live mealworms are sure to attract more birds than you know.

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