Why do birds disappear from feeders
Despite your bird feeders being ready with birds spoiled for choice, birds have disappeared and they won't come back, to which we can find a solution together.
Why do birds suddenly disappear from feeders could be nesting season is over, thus there's less urgency to feed. Similarly, a better yet more reliable bird feeder setup could be near by - or could it be pets or pests are scaring off birds. In the end it just could be migratory birds have headed south for the winter.
Certainly a change in environment since birds originally arrived to bird feeders could deter them from coming back.
Could the area around the bird feeders now be noisier, busier - or could new pets be disturbing birds with the possibility of predatory animals prowling close by.
In the end it just could be your backyard is now uninviting to birds who may of been seen more at feeders during the nesting season - as they regularly top up on food to feed their fledgling in spring to summertime.
Birds can suddenly disappear from bird feeders because food is plentiful elsewhere, and if you don't continue to replenish bird feeders before they run out, birds won't wait around until you do.
What else may be a concern is now the bird feeder location has changed, or perhaps the bird feeders are unseen - if they are too low off the ground or invisible to passing birds.
Quiet, undisturbed backyard is an inviting landscape to birds, thus bird feeders must be seen with bird food that caters to all birds diet, which is similar to what the eat in the wild.
Let's dive a little deeper into reasons why birds disappear from feeders, although for now - we'll just blame your neighbors for doing a better job at the bird feeder pole.
Feeders plentiful elsewhere
Why my birds usually disappear is usually the fault of myself, as I sometimes allow my bird feeders to run dry, while keeping them empty for days or a week on end.
Well, that is bad planning on my part because I know birds take their sweet time to come back to my bird feeders - in fact bird food has to be replaced as it rots before its actually touched by birds again.
Where I believe my regular birds to my bird feeders go is finding new feeding grounds in the wild - with the possibility of my common backyard birds simply feeding off new bird feeders.
Its simple, if there's no food in bird feeders, wild birds must go elsewhere to feed on their body weight of food at bird feeders, or in the wild if they have to.
Birds don't care your feeders are empty and are not willing to wait around for you. As a matter of life and death your regular birds must find food to stay alive.
I believe then why birds mostly disappear from your bird feeders is a fault of your own, as you got a bit lazy by failing to keep feeders topped up.
Never allow bird feeders to run dry or else birds will change feeding behavior while probably seeking out new bird feeders near by, or further a field.
Pests or pets turn up
With that you can also contribute a change in season, whereby birds dietary needs switch over to insects or fruits - but it could be something a little more sinister.
What you might not see yourself is predators can be in hiding near to your bird feeder location - especially predators who come out of wooded areas - who are nesting near by or waiting for birds to pounce on.
Meanwhile, and its unlikely to be a new pet on your part as you'd figure that out for yourself if birds stop coming; although it could be a person in your neighborhood has brought a new cat who is now prowling near too, or in your garden.
Birds can sense trouble thus presence of cats or other predatory animals can certainly keep birds well away.
Birds can quickly disappear from bird feeders within a 24 hour margin with predators arriving, with only new birds coming to feeders - however rare that may be - to feed on the suet, peanuts or seeds once in a while.
What you can do is keep an eye on any new cats or predators arriving in your backyard, with an option to hang bird feeders higher up in a tree or on any object that is at least 10 feet off the ground.
Migrating only birds were present
When birds disappear from feeders it could be because what you mostly receive in your yard is migratory birds, thus come winter these bird will be all gone.
Naturally you can certainly expect all hummingbirds in your yard to migrate.
If your birds hummingbirds disappear in August through September - this is the time when hummingbirds migrate - thus its time to take hummingbird feeders down rather then continuing to attract hummers to feeders who have long gone.
Other birds who may frequent your yard but now headed south to a warmer climate can be Martins, Swallows and Warblers.
And despite a larger number of Orioles staying in colder climates, you can also expect all your Orioles to disappear.
Migrating birds don't all head south for the winter yet some will stay behind to continue in what is a hotter southern State, such as Florida or Texas.
Why birds disappear from your bird feeder then is because you mostly receive migrating birds on your bird feeders, thus it can seem like they suddenly disappear elsewhere, when its in their nature to migrate on time.
Still NEW bird feeders
I understand your birds disappear from a feeder that is established in your yard, while attracting birds to a new bird feeder can be an issue of its own.
Let's say then you've recently setup hanging bird feeders on a bird feeder pole, yet you are only getting a few birds at this early stage.
Some reason or another then what looked to be a reliable flow of common backyard birds coming to your yard, actually disappear just like that.
Its happened to me but I will remind you that when you stop feeding birds, they simply go elsewhere for a more reliable source of food.
Newly put up bird feeders are different though, they are new so unknown to birds in your neighborhood. Meanwhile these same birds could be continuing to visit their regular haunt in a backyard near by.
Birds will continue to go to the older, more reliable bird feeding station because they can guarantee food, whereas you might not of figured out your birds dietary needs just yet.
What I mean by that is certain birds only feed on seeds or it could be insects, of which they would prioritize these food groups at certain times of the year.
At this time you are offering the wrong kind of bird food to birds who frequent your bird feeders that don't feed on nuts - but will only eat seeds or suet at this time.
Birds could disappear then because the wrong food is made available to them. What you must do is attract different birds to feeders by always making sure all kinds of bird food is available.
With that you must also make sure less able birds at bird feeders are fully able to access their food, in what could be a hard for them to feed off feeder.
Conclusion
Why do birds disappear from feeders can really be blamed on your neighbors, not always but could it be they provide more bird food with a better bird feeder setup.
Similarly, could your neighbors being doing this so long they've got a grip on what to do, and what not to feed birds at certain times of the year.
Meanwhile, you are offering birds limited bird food options while trying to attract birds who require their own dietary needs.
I can tell you why birds disappear from my bird feeders, its because I can sometimes get a little lazy by not filling up the run dry bird feeders soon after. It can only be a few days or a week before birds vanish from my bird feeders for good.
Could this be what you are doing wrong - allowing bird feeders to run out - as birds won't wait around as they risk starving. Birds will simply find new bird feeders in a neighbors yard or if they have to, go further a field.
Incredibly, you could be attracting mostly what is migratory birds to your bird feeders such as an over abundance of hummingbirds or orioles; of which they will head to a warmer climate come August to September - so if these migratory birds disappear at this time of the year, now you know why.
Share this article:
