How to hang a bird feeder outside a window
Your options may seem limited at first but with a few ideas I can provide you, there's no limits to the way you can still hang a regular bird feeder only foot outside the window.
How to hang any old bird feeder outside a window could depend on utilizing the roof overhang above - on a first or second ground floor - to stretch a length of steel wire to the window you intend to use. Attach to the soffit with a clip to create the hang point or prioritize the gutter bracket if it feels safer to you.
While I feel utilizing the soffit technique is more plausible to first floor homes, as oppose to a soffit as far up as a second or third floor house, it will still be possible for you.
Simply take a long length of steel wire to hang off the soffit via a soffit clip or screw, then dangle the wire down to the window position below to hang a bird feeder directly outside.
Safety concerns could be a bird feeder pushed too close to the window, thus the soffit clip will now have to be pushed further out to get the all important safe distance. And if you feel the soffit method won't work, you can still depend on the eaves above.
If you have no plausible way to hang a length of wire on the soffit, then don't worry about it... as you can simply hang the wire on the metal bracket of your guttering.
To avoid utilizing any part of the roof overhang all together - simply make use of what is a window bird feeder hanger - its made to be stuck on your window via one or several suctions cup, just as you mount window bird feeders.
It aren't quite like a window bird feeder mind that is stuck directly on the window; window bird feeder hangers provide one bracket to hang any type of bird feeder, with more distance provided between the panel of glass, and the feeder.
Dangle wire off soffit above
In regards to a ground floor home with no second story or a flight of stairs to head up on a second floor, you could attempt to hang a bird feeder via the an area on the eaves.
Second or third floor buildings are possible mind although I hope you can avoid a too long length of wire, which is how you can safely position a bird feeder directly outside a ground floor window.
Rely on any part of the soffit directly above the window position you intend to use - with the soffit being the roof under hang section - where you can slot a soffit clip in to hang many objects on, including plant pots or indeed bird feeders.
Now directly hang bird feeders outside what could be a dining room or kitchen window on second or first floor house, that would rely on a super long length of steel wire.
Steel wire because it can hold the weight whereas it can stretch out tight to avoid any kind of tangling or twisting, prone in rope or if you use fishing wire.
What you will end up with is a long length of steel wire - about 10 to 14 feet - dangling via the soffit above, with the bird feeder hung directly outside the window.
Alternatively, why not utilize the gutter to hang the bird feeders on, while still relying on a long length of steel wire as the length is needed to carefully position the hanging bird feeder outside the window below.
It is safe to hang bird feeders on guttering providing you prioritize the gutter bracket, as they tend to be made in metal and fixed with screws, whereas gutter is just plastic.
Hang bird feeder directly on window
If hanging a bird feeder outside the window via anywhere under the roof overhang is out of bounds for you at this time - being an apartment for example - then don't worry as I have a different type of solution for you.
Now you can turn your attention to a device called a window bird feeder hanger which will rely on a suction cup or two too stick on your window.
What you'll end up with is an actual bird feeder bracket attached to the window for any kind of bird feeder to hang off the hook on the end.
Within a reasonable size bird feeder mind you because the little clearing between feeder and window won't accommodate too wide bird feeders.
What a window bird feeder hanger will do is provide you a way to hang feeders like you would on a bird feeder pole or branch; only bird feeders can be be hung just a foot or so on the window panel.
Similar to a window bird feeder that attaches directly on the glass - a window bird feeder hanger is different - because it allows you to use regular bird feeders for suet, seeds or peanuts... with a window bird feeder limited to an open seed tray only.
To attach a window bird feeder hanger anywhere on your window, be sure the suction cup to stick on the glass is clean and fault-free, and so too must the window be clean.
What you get is a window hanger - or if you like a bracket - attached to a window with a suction cup or two, along with a bird feeder hung off a hanger with a hook on the end.
No guarantee birds will come to a regular window feeder mind because there's little difference between attracting wild birds to a feeder stuck directly on the window, or a bird feeder that is hung close to the window.
Situate bird feeder pole near by
Have you thought about uprooting a current bird feeder pole or instead buying a bird feeding station or Shepard's hook pole to install near to a window.
Where you'd normally place a bird feeder pole is in the middle of the yard or at least in a sun lit up area. Birds like to feed in the light thus to re-position or situate a new pole in a darken corner to prioritize the window, may not go as planned.
How to place a bird feeder pole near the window will first prioritize pole brackets facing outwards - away from the window to make them accessible to a birds flight path.
Never turn bird feeder pole brackets inwards towards the window as I've previously observed birds favoring an outward position bird feeder. Meaning birds will land on the bird feeder, or feeders, closest to where their arrival is on the pole.
Install any bird feeder pole as you normally would be stabbing it into the ground, while the lawn would need to come super close to your window.
Avoid use of brackets on the bird feeder pole closest to the window, as they're unlikely to be used.
Instead use just a couple of seed bird feeders that can be hung away from the window only, while making sure wild birds don't risk crashing into your window, as they often assume there's more space in the yard due to the reflection in the window.
Summary
First up on your attempt to hang a bird feeder outside of any window in your home, is to utilize the soffit, which is the section under your roof under hang.
What you can do is buy a soffit clip that slots in between any panel of soffit, or else you can depend on screwing in a screw with a hook on the opposite end to hang a steel wire over.
Why you will use a steel wire is because of safety first, also the way steel wire can hang straight with no knots or twisting... which is seen in rope or fishing wire for example.
Steel wire will be tied on the soffit clip all the way down to the window you intend to hang the bird feeder outside of. Slightly off topic, but to open an upstairs window with the wire tied over the handle could be just as effective, but let me continue what I was saying...
With the super long length of wire hanging via the soffit to a second or ground floor window, you can choose the height of which it hangs off the ground.
Better yet and probably less hassle on your part, is to invest in a window bird feeder hanger or bracket - not to be mistaken for a window bird feeder - with a hanger still relying on a suction cup to mount to the window.
Now any type of bird feeder could hang off this single window bird feeder hanger, that could be more tempting to use by birds as it will be further away from the window.
If all else fails you could always dig up a current bird feeder pole to re-position it nearer to the window, or buy a new bird feeding station pole to install close to the window.
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