Best Bird Feeders For Chickadees, A Complete Buyer’s Guide

Watching lovely birds as they feed is therapeutic, especially the cute little ones like the chickadee. It provides a soothing feeling and can alleviate stress. If you love birdwatching, you can do it in the comfort of your backyard, and all you need is a reliable bird feeder. Below is our list of the best bird feeders for Chickadees.

Picking the ideal location for the birds to feed is an easy task. If there are trees nearby, then you are in luck. Just make sure to place the feeders far from the reach of predatory animals like cats and dogs.

Best Chickadee Feeder Reviews

Choosing the best bird feeders for chickadees can be overwhelming, though. To help you decide, we have put together six of the best chickadee feeders below.

If you love watching wild birds feed in your backyard, the Gray Bunny tube feeder is an easy way to attract small birds like chickadees, finches, sparrows, titmice, and more. You simply need to fill the feeder with seeds, hang it on the outside of the house and watch the birds come and dine. This feeder made the top of our list for the best bird feeders for Chickadees.

The overall design is efficient, especially its premium-grade transparent hard plastic. It does not only keep the seeds safe and secure, but it also allows you to monitor the seed level with ease. With 15.5 inches in height, it can accommodate up to six cups of seeds.

The item has four ports, which means it can accommodate more birds than other feeders on the market. However, the perch pegs are designed for small birds only. If you want to attract larger birds, then you have to opt for other feeder options.

It works with a lot of seed blends like sunflower, safflower, and small nuts. You can hang it on tree branches and shepherd hooks, or mount it on a pole. This is also a perfect gift ideal for nature and bird lovers within your circle of friends, family, or colleagues.

Since it is made from hard plastic, it is quite durable. It can be knocked off during a storm and come out unscathed. The plastic is also water-resistant, protecting the seeds from moisture and rotting.

You have to be careful where to hang the feeder, though. Squirrels can easily chew through plastic and damage the entire item. Make sure to hang the feeder away from the reach of squirrels.

If you want an affordable feeder designed for small birds, this is a must-buy for you or your loved ones. It is quite durable and can withstand a lot of bad weather because it is made of hard plastic. Make sure to keep it out of reach of squirrels that can easily eat through its material.

If you are looking for an affordable bird feeder that accommodates Chickadees and larger birds, Nature’s Way cedar platform tray bird feeder is a suitable option. While the caged feeders keep larger birds away, this feeder allows both small and large. It also allows squirrels to take a nibble from the tray.

The tray feeder has a natural theme that can match any backyard or garden. The quality cedar wood coated with water-resistant stain is perfect for the outdoor space. The removable tray that comes along with it is rust-free and easy to clean.

The tray is specifically designed to allow water drainage and airflow. This keeps the seeds fresh for a longer period and prevents moisture and rot. This extends the life of the feeder and allows for easier maintenance as well.

What I love about this particular feeder is its open space feeding system. This means that small birds, larger birds, and squirrels are free to feed on the tray. You can fill it with enough bird seeds to last for a couple of days.

Perhaps the downside to having an open space design is rainfall. This means that any contact with water can cause leftover seeds to be exposed to moisture and bacterial growth. The seeds have to be consumed as quickly as possible, hence this feeder may not be practical for rainy days.

If you want to use a feeder that can attract any kind of bird, aside from chickadees, then this is a good option. It is not only affordable but is economical in the long run, as long as you clean and maintain it regularly. However, you should not be using this feeder during the rainy season because the seeds can easily spoil when soaked in rain.

If you prefer to keep the big birds away and attract the small chickadees, this large tube bird feeder is your best bet. It can hold up to one pound of birdseed and accommodate up to four small birds at a time. The domed cage allows small birds to feed and keeps large birds and squirrels away.

You can choose between the 15-inch or 20-inch diameter options. Each one comes with a clear dome to protect the birds from the rain without obstructing your view. With its durable construction, you can use it for many years to come.

I like the cage design because it only allows small birds like chickadees, sparrows, finches, bluebirds, wrens, catbirds, and the like, to enter. It keeps away starlings, doves, robins, and other larger birds. Starlings, for example, usually come in flocks and can empty your feeder is a short amount of time.

Even squirrels have a hard time entering the cage. Although some younger squirrels may find their way inside the cage, it keeps the bigger ones away. If you do not want any squirrel coming inside the cage, you can place a baffle on the garden pole or just hang the feeder on a branch or hook instead.

Another good point is that it comes in four ports. If there are many birds in the neighborhood, they have to take turns to feed. If you do not want to refill your feeder too often, this product is an excellent choice.

I recommend this product if your objective is to attract smaller birds and deter the bigger ones. I consider it the best feeder to keep out squirrels given its cage design. Although it is on the pricey end, it is economical in the long run since you do not have to fill the feeder too often.

Chickadees, woodpeckers, and wrens love to eat suet during the fall and winter seasons. For birds to survive the harsh cold winter, they need a good source of fats and calories. Suet cake is an ideal source of energy and is easy for birds to digest.

That said, if you want to attract birds during the fall and winter seasons, consider Nature’s Way suet cake feeder. Its tail-prop design provides additional space for the birds to prop their tails to achieve balance. This allows them to eat more comfortably and prolong their visits.

I love that this feeder is constructed with rust-free materials. The mesh, the screws, and the steel hanging cable are designed to last longer than ordinary metal materials. That means that you do not have to clean the feeder too often.

The feeder is designed to hold one suet cake at a time. Buying one at a time can be quite expensive. It is better to buy suet cakes in bulk to save money, as well as time spent on purchasing them.

This product has an affordable price, but it has received some complaints from customers in the past. Squirrels may chew up the black covering and gain access to the suet cake within. You can solve this issue by using a squirrel baffle to prevent the animals from destroying the top cover.

I recommend this product if you are looking for an affordable suet cake feeder for the fall and winter seasons. The wood design looks perfect when hung on a tree. Just make sure to keep the squirrels away.

The Twinkle Star wild bird feeder comes with an interesting hexagonal feeder and roof design. It is made out of plastic and has a transparent casing that allows you to see its contents at any time. It is designed with an inclined roof to shade the birds from the sun or rain, and a 360-degree feeder to allow more birds to feed on it.

The feeder can hold up to 2.15 pounds of seeds, which is a lot of food for small birds to consume. You can put a variety of seeds in it as well like safflower and sunflower seeds to attract chickadees, bluebirds, tits, and more. You can easily refill the feeder by twisting the cover to unlock it.

The hexagonal feeder at the bottom is designed for small birds only, as it deters greedy doves and other larger specifies of birds. Hence, if you are planning to attract chickadees and other small birds, this is a feeder worthy of consideration. With its large capacity, you only need to refill it once every week or two.

The aesthetic design of the item makes it a good ornament for trees or shrubs in your yard. The brownish color of its roof and bottom feeder complements the green color of leaves. As soon as you have it on a tree, it can attract many birds to bring life and color to your yard.

In my opinion, this affordable feeder is a great ornament for your yard. It does not only attract small birds but can add color to trees or shrubs. Just be careful when opening the lid because it might break due to too much force.

Perky-pet’s chapel bird feeder provides an interesting design to complement your home garden or backyard. It is made from natural wood and attracts a variety of birds, including chickadees. You can either hang it on a tree or mount it on a pole.

I like that the design comes with a transparent compartment window. This allows you to monitor the seed level at any time and refill it with a new batch once empty. The natural colors of the seeds complement the natural look of the entire structure.

The wooden part, although untreated, is made from durable fir to ensure that you can use it for many years. You should always consider the durability of a product before buying it. Although this feeder is affordably priced, it can be used for a long time.

This feeder is awesome because it can hold up to 3.6 pounds of bird seeds. You can feed as many birds with one fill of bird seeds for at least one to two weeks. If you do not want to refill the feeder every day, then this is the right type of product for you.

Some buyers may find this product flimsy because it is stapled and not glued. This is fine as long as you mount it steadily on a pole or place it on a steady surface. If you wish to hang it, do not fill it with too many seeds.

Remember to clean the feeder before you refill it to keep molds and bacteria from propagating on the inside. Use mild soap and water to avoid causing serious damage to the feeder. Make sure to dry the feeder completely before pouring in a fresh batch of seeds to avoid seed rot and damage.

Although this feeder may not be the best in terms of quality, it is affordably priced and quite attractive to add to the yard. It can hold a lot of seeds that can last for days, which allows you to birdwatch without refilling the filler often. Honestly, if you want an aesthetic addition to your garden or yard, this bird feeder is an excellent purchase and that is why it made it on our list for the best bird feeders for Chickadees.

How to Choose the Best Bird Feeder for Chickadees

Chickadees and other small birds are fun to watch. They sing beautiful songs and add color to your backyard. Before purchasing any type of bird feeder, you have to consider the factors below:

Size and Feeding Capacity

Feeders come in different sizes, depending on which birds you want to attract and how many you want to accommodate. Some can accommodate at most two at a time, while some can host four or more birds at once. If you do not want to have an overcrowded feeder, choose one that can accommodate only up to four.

You can choose a tray-type feeder if you want to attract larger birds as well. These feeders may also attract squirrels, though. If you only want small birds to come to your feeder, choose smaller feeders designed for smaller birds.

Material Used

Material composition is crucial to decision making. If you are anti-plastic, make sure to opt for natural wood feeders. However, if the plastic material is fine with you, then you can choose the more affordable and durable plastic feeders.

Bird feeder material can be made from mesh wire, cedarwood, stainless steel, recycled plastic, and other types of material. Some feeders have special features like UV protection, rust resistance, anti-corrosion, anti-rot, and others. It is crucial to compare the quality of bird feeders before buying them.

Drainage System

The drainage system of the bird feeder can also impact your decision. Feeders with open drainage are easier to clean than enclosed feeders. Hence, if you want an option that is easier to maintain, make sure it has an open drainage system.

Installation Requirements

Installation is also another factor that you should look for. For example, the hanging type feeder is easy to use and does not require any special installation skills. Simply hang it on a hook or a tree branch and you are ready to feed the birds.

Other feeders can be mounted on the pole or post. If you have an existing garden post or pole then this option is for you. You can also choose to buy a feeder that can either be hanged on a hook or mounted on a pole.

The decision will depend on where you want to install the bird feeder. Some options can be installed on your window or wall. Just make sure to buy one that is sturdy enough to hold the bird seeds and the birds as well, no matter where you choose to install them.

Type of Feeder

You also have to be familiar with the type of feeder you want to purchase. Suet feeders, for example, are designed to serve suet cakes to birds during the winter season. They have to be built with sturdy wires and should be strong enough to hold the weight of the birds.

Tube feeders are designed to hold corn, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and certain seed blends. These are usually made out of plastic, are durable, and are very affordable. Birds can feed on these tubes through ports and perch pegs on the sides of the tube.

Tray feeders are also popular because they attract a variety of birds. You can place peanuts, sunflower seeds, and even suet on its open platform. However, this is not suitable to use during the rainy seasons.

Proper Maintenance and Care

Regardless of the type of feeder you buy, you should always clean and maintain it regularly to prolong its usefulness. Before refilling it with a new batch of seeds, clean it with water and mild soap. Dry all the surfaces as well to avoid causing moisture damage to the seeds.

Moist surfaces become a breeding ground for molds and bacteria. These organisms can cause harm to the birds, damage the quality of the bird seeds, and discolor the surface of the feeder. In this case, you may use a mild disinfectant solution during the cleaning process.

How to Attract Chickadees

Chickadees are energetic small birds that can be easily attracted to your backyard because they are curious and are friendly to humans. If you want to attract these lovely birds, learn how to please them, and how to meet their needs.

There are seven types of chickadees that visit and breed in North America. They are readily attracted to yards, birdbaths, and bird feeders in their respective areas. If you are fortunate enough, you can attract more than one type of chickadee.

What Do Chickadees Like To Eat

Chickadees eat a variety of foods like seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects. Offer them adequate food in your backyard by placing feeders or planting flowering trees that attract insects. Feeders should contain sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts, suet, or peanut butter.

Offer Water

Chickadees need water for bathing and drinking. You can use a basin, a small dish, a landscaped spring, or a commercial birdbath for this matter. Since chickadees do not migrate, you should always provide them a source of water, especially during the winter season.

Give Them Shelter

Chickadees require trees and shrubs for shelter. Therefore, plant trees in your neighborhood to attract the birds to come to live in your area. These trees and shrubs also provide nesting sites for the birds.

Aside from baths and feeders, you may also want to offer them birdhouses. These houses can serve as shelter and nesting sites. These are going to attract more birds to come to your yard.

Provide Perches Near Feeders

Chickadees do not stay on the feeders for too long. They usually fly away to a safe spot to eat the seeds comfortably without being disturbed. Hence, provide perching areas for the birds to eat their meal.

Also, place the feeders and birdbaths close to thicket areas so they can readily retreat for safety in case a predator comes close. Remember that the birds flee to other locations if there is a perceived threat in your neighborhood. Make sure they have a safe place to fly away, just in case.

Add Multiple Feeders

Adding more feeders to your yard makes it possible for many birds to eat at once. Larger birds can be dominating on smaller birds and chase them away. Doves and starlings can be quite greedy and may not leave seeds for the smaller ones.

The solution to this issue is to place feeders designed for smaller birds. Caged feeders and tube feeders are suitable for chickadees, sparrows, woodpeckers, and other little birds. You may also use traditional feeders that have smaller perching space to discourage bigger birds.

Bottom Line On Best Feeder For Chickadees

It takes patience to learn to attract chickadees and other lovely birds to your backyard. These adorable birds enjoy the company of humans. It is also possible for you to hand-feed these birds as long as they become accustomed to your yard and your presence.

Chickadees will appreciate you for providing them food, water, and shelter. They will reward you with their presence as long as you take care of their needs. Enjoy having them around!

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