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An Aesthetically Pleasing Favorite Designed With Style & Grace. This Domed Bird Feeder Is Durable, Feeds Multiple Birds At Once, And Is Proudly Made In The USA.
Glad you could make it!
I’m guessing you’re here because you enjoy it when blue jays visit your backyard so much that you want to take the next step toward feeding and caring for them.
This is very noble and helpful of you and I applaud your dedication to feeding and providing shelter for nature’s beautiful creatures and lovely backyard birds.
Right now, you might be wondering what blue jays eat. And you may also wonder about the best type of blue jay bird feeder.
Don’t worry because I have you covered.
Recently, I spent 20 weeks evaluating and testing 10 different blue jay feeders. And today I’d like to tell you about the Runner Up Blue Jay Feeder, which is a great piece of equipment and personally my second favorite out of all that I’ve reviewed.
How did I decide that the Seed Saver Domed Feeder was the runner-up? I came to this conclusion by evaluating the product using 5 critical categories.
The categories include:
- Durability & Warranty
- Ease of Installation
- Aesthetics
- Ease of Refilling
- Cleaning & Care
Would you like to learn more about the results of this testing and evaluation process? Keep reading to discover why I consider the Seed Saver Domed Feeder the Runner Up Blue Jay Feeder and my second favorite out of the bunch.
Droll Yankees Seed Saver Domed Feeder
- Dimensions: 15.18 x 8.03 x 15.06 inches
- Feeder Type: Tray Feeder w/ Roof
- Capacity: 1 pound of seed
- Material: UV-stabilized polycarbonate plastic
- Brand: Droll Yankees
Overall Score:
82
The Bottom Line:
At the end of the day, I consider this a great feeder because the overall design and construction is perfect. You can move the dome up and down to keep out larger birds when necessary, or raise it a little to let cardinals and blue jays in but still keep squirrels and other ground dwelling animals out. Plus, the clear dome keeps the seeds safe and protected from harsh outdoor elements.What’s Good
- Choose between 6, 10, and 15 inches
- Tray feeder holds 1 pound of bird food
- Adjustable dome cover
- Durable design protects against squirrel damage
- Made of UV stabilized polycarbonate
What’s Bad
- Tray doesn’t stay in place
- Thin plastic material
- Pricey
Our Verdict: Seed Saver Domed Feeder
Overall, I consider this blue jay bird feeder the runner-up because it excelled in the wide majority of categories that I tested it in.
Let’s start with refilling the tray.
This process is very simple to do with a dome bird feeder. The tray itself holds 1 pound of fruit, mealworms, suet, or bird seeds.
Look at the tray itself. Is it dirty? If so, wipe it down before refilling it with new food.
Like I said, it’s very easy to refill and it doesn’t require much effort at all.
Cleaning is just as simple, as we already discussed. You may want to unhook it to take it down, then empty out the tray. Afterward, thoroughly wipe it down and clean the dome, the tray, and the metal rod and it will be clean and bacteria and germ-free in no time.
Installing this bird feeder is quite simple as well. As I mentioned, there is a hook on the end of the metal rod that goes through the feeding tray into the dome.
Hang the hook from a tree branch, another hooked-friendly loop, or anything else that you can hook it onto. The whole process should only take a matter of minutes to complete.
Even though it’s made of plastic, you’d be surprised how sturdy and durable this birdfeeder really is. And let’s not forget about the metal rod which is very stout and difficult to bend because it’s made of brass.
Between the brass rod and the UV stabilized carbonate, it will be very difficult to break this feeder because the materials are so strong.
And lastly, I personally like the domed tray feeder from an aesthetic standpoint, although it isn’t my favorite looking bird feeder. It’s still attractive enough that you’ll undoubtedly love the way it looks in your backyard.
Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
In the end, I like the Seed Saver Domed Feeder a great deal and I’m happy to recommend it to all of my readers.
Related: Top Bird Feeders For Blue Blue Jays
Our Analysis, Comparisons & Test Results
Right now, I’d say it’s safe to believe that I’m a big fan of the Seed Saver Domed Feeder since I consider it the runner-up and my second favorite out of the 10 bird feeders that I recently reviewed.
Would you agree?
Well, I didn’t come to this conclusion by accident. I take these reviews seriously, which is why I always perform detailed analysis, research, testing, and comparisons on every product that I review on this website.
It doesn’t matter if it’s bird seeds, bird baths, bird feeders, or something else. They all undergo rigorous research, testing, and analysis before I give a product my stamp of approval.
As I’ve said, I tested and compared 10 products over a period of 20 weeks. And I accepted this massive undertaking because I care about blue jays, I care about my readers, and I want to ensure we’re all buying the best blue jay feeders to properly feed and care for these beautiful little bullies!
Let’s see where my comparisons and testing take us, shall we?
Aesthetics
Believe it or not, I didn’t award the Seed Saver Domed Feeder with the highest score in this category even though I think it’s relatively attractive. I only score it with a 60 out of 100, which actually puts it in second to last place.
To give you some perspective, I awarded the Squirrel Shop Picnic Table Platform Feeder with a 90 out of 100. I really liked the unique design and I think it’s really cute when blue jays perch on the bench and enjoy a tasty treat of sunflower seeds, suet, or mealworms!
Now:
The Seed Saver Domed Feeder isn’t the worst-looking feeder in the world by any means. But aesthetics is a personal category to say the least. I just happen to like the domed look less than some of the other feeders.
Unfortunately, the dome can get somewhat dirty so dirt and grime buildup could take away from the aesthetic appeal. And on occasion, little birds will occasionally bump into the dome, which also takes away from the overall beauty of the product in my opinion.
You may fall head over heels in love with the beautiful domed design. And you should know that this is a perfectly valid opinion. You do not have to agree with me at all!
How the Seed Saver Domed Feeder stacks up in the aesthetics ratings:
Ease of Installation
When it comes to Ease of Installation, I gave this bird feeder the very generous score of 80 out of 100. This is a great score even though it’s par for the course.
How so?
Well, out of 10 products that I reviewed, I actually gave 8 of them a score of 80 out of 100. They are all fairly easy to install, which is definitely a good thing because nobody wants to buy a bird feeder that’s going to be really difficult to hang from a pole or tree branch.
The best product in this category turned out to be the Amish Poly Ground Bird Feeder Tray, which scored a 100 out of 100.
It’s basically a tray on four legs, which as you can imagine, it doesn’t require any major installation whatsoever. Just put it down wherever you like and you’ve finished with the installation process! Pretty easy, right?
With this feeder, there is certainly a little more involved. It has a hook at the end of the brass metal bar going through the center of the bird feeder. You’ll need to hang this hook up somehow, and I’ll leave it up to you to get creative if you like.
Personally, I tend to hook it directly over a sturdy tree branch as long as the bird feeder itself remains stable. But you can hook it onto anything like the end of a pole, or a hook hanging down from your porch, or anywhere else for that matter.
Just know that installing the Seed Saver Domed Feeder isn’t going to be too difficult or too demanding of your time and attention. This is important information to know in our busy and fast-paced world.
How the Seed Saver Domed Feeder stacks up in the ease of installation ratings:
Durability & Warranty
In the category Durability & Warranty, I gave the Seed Saver Domed Feeder a phenomenal score of 90 out of 100. This is a 5-way tie with four other products.
As an example, I also awarded the Birds Choice Whole Peanut Blue Jay Feeder with a 90 out of 100 score as well.
I liked that this feeder is made of durable materials and it was created using a design that is really friendly to the birds.
But from a durability standpoint…
The acrylic plexi panels are very sturdy and strong. Birds can hang from them, peck at them, and ultimately rough them up. And you don’t have to worry about these panels breaking or cracking even if you drop the feeder or one of the birds accidentally knock it over.
And the clear design makes it really easy for blue jays to get whole peanuts out of the feeder and into their bellies in no time at all.
The Seed Saver Domed Feeder is also made of very durable materials. Although it isn’t made of acrylic, the plastic dome and feeder tray are made of UV stabilized polycarbonate, which might even be better.
Why?
With the sun beaming down on this bird feeder all day long, you’d have to worry about the dome and tray becoming warped from excessive ultraviolet light exposure and added heat.
Guess what?
This isn’t going to happen because the polycarbonate used to create this bird feeder is UV stabilized. This means it will not be negatively impacted or affected by excessive ultraviolet light exposure by any means.
So, you can leave this bird feeder out in the sun and it will maintain its shape and durability.
It’s perhaps not a good idea to leave fresh bird seeds, suet, and mealworms directly in the sun, so you should consider keeping it in the shade whenever possible.
How the Seed Saver Domed Feeder stacks up in the durability & warranty ratings:
Ease of Refilling
For the category Ease of Refilling, I also gave the Seed Saver Domed Feeder a stupendous score of 90 out of 100, because it’s definitely one of the easier bird feeders to refill.
On the other end, I gave the JC’s Wildlife Large Poly Hopper Bird Feeder an average score of 70 out of 100, which isn’t the worst score in the world either.
But in this case, I knocked off a few points because you physically have to remove the seed tray and clean it out before you can refill it with birdseed. It also has slotted acrylic sides that are removable that alter the flow of the bird seeds within the tray.
Even though the acrylic sides aren’t too difficult to maneuver, they’re an additional hindrance that makes it a little bit harder to remove the tray and add new birdseed in an effort to feed your favorite blue jays in a timely manner.
On the other hand:
The domed feeder is one of the easiest bird feeders in the world to refill.
First off, if the bottom of the tray is clean, you can quickly wipe it down with a cloth and then refill it with new seeds or other types of bird food without unhooking it or taking it down from its usual location.
Although, even if you have to unhook it and take it down, it’s still really lightweight and easy to maneuver. You can lift the dome up to get easy access to the tray so refilling it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Personally, I think it’s the easiest bird feeder to refill besides the wide-open Amish Poly Ground Bird Feeder Tray.
How the Seed Saver Domed Feeder stacks up in the ease of refilling ratings:
Cleaning & Care
In the Cleaning & Care category, I once again gave this product a highly respectable score of 90 out of 100. And I feel it’s deserving of such an excellent score because it really is very easy to clean and take care of.
The highest-rated product is the Amish Poly Ground Bird Feeder Tray, which received a perfect 100 score. And again, it received the score because it’s a wide-open tray that doesn’t require any manipulation to clean.
Pick it up, wipe it off, and put it back. That’s all there is to it!
On the flip side:
The Seed Saver Domed Feeder is incredibly lightweight so it’s easy to carry. Just lift it up off the hook and empty out the old bird seeds, mealworms, and suet cakes if any still rest in the bottom of the feeder tray.
Afterward, you’ll take a clean rag and soak in water and also soap it up with regular dish soap. You do not need to use anything fancy to get this product clean.
Take your soapy rag and thoroughly wipe down the inside and outside of the dome and do the same thing for the tray. While you’re at it, remember to wipe down all sides of the brass rod and hook to get them clean and sparkling once again.
Overall, cleaning this product is a cinch. If you really want to get fancy, you can take it apart and put it in your dishwasher to rinse it off properly. Make sure to keep it on the top shelf of the dishwasher because it might melt on the bottom level.
See how easy it is to clean this product. It doesn’t require much effort or energy on your part at all. It’s very straightforward as you can imagine.
How the Seed Saver Domed Feeder stacks up in the cleaning & care ratings:
Seed Saver Domed Feeder FAQs:
Is the Seed Saver Domed Feeder Large Enough To Accommodate Blue Jays?
When people think of a domed feeder, they actually wonder if the opening between the seed tray and the dome will be big enough to accommodate larger birds like blue jays.
I would never recommend this product if it wasn’t absolutely perfect for blue jays, bluebirds, cardinals, grosbeaks, and other larger birds.
The most interesting thing is that the dome can move up and down along the brass metal pole. So, if you only intend to feed smaller birds on a given day, you can lower the dome so that only smaller birds will be able to access the feeder tray.
Or…
If you feel like accommodating blue jays and other larger birds on a given day, you can quickly raise the dome higher so that the opening is big enough for the larger birds to fit through the hole and gain easy access to the tasty seeds, mealworms, peanut pieces, and suet cakes that you’ve provided.
So yes, this dazzling domed feeder is an excellent choice to accommodate blue jays and other large birds.
How Can I Attract Blue Jays And Other Birds To My Brand-New Seed Saver Domed Feeder?
Here’s the thing:
You’ve recently installed a brand-new Seed Saver Domed Feeder in your backyard and the blue jays and other wild birds seem to be ignoring it entirely.
What’s the deal?
Well, for whatever reason it’s likely that the blue jays and other birds haven’t noticed your new bird feeder yet. They may not realize that you’ve provided them with another great source to get access to tasty bird seeds and other healthy treats.
So, you have to wonder how to alert the birds to the new feeder location.
I learned this trick a while back and I have to admit that it works amazingly well, even though I didn’t think it would work at all at first.
A friend of mine recommended taking a cup of black oil sunflower seeds and peanut pieces and scattering them around on the floor below the new bird feeder. They said to do this one time and that I would never have to do it again.
So, I took their advice and scattered the seeds and peanut pieces below the bird feeder. And what do you know, after the blue jays ate all of the seeds and peanuts off of the floor, they suddenly discovered the bird feeder in the tree hanging right above their heads.
And since then, all kinds of beautiful backyard birds regularly eat seeds and other tasty morsels from this bird feeder on a consistent basis.
This great trick worked for me and I have a sneaking suspicion that it will work wonders for you too.
What Is The Best Way To Keep Squirrels Away From The Seed Saver Domed Feeder?
Like many of us, you are undoubtedly sick and tired of squirrels stealing the tasty bird seeds from your Seed Saver Domed Feeder. It’s very disheartening to watch squirrels steal the delicious foodstuffs away from your favorite blue jays and other backyard birds.
After struggling with this problem for a little while, I decided to take action and I look for a valid solution on the Internet to keep the squirrels away. I came up with a few ideas that didn’t pan out, but what I’m about to share with you turned out to be a great idea.
The best way to keep the squirrels away is to make sure they have a difficult time accessing the bird feeder. So, when you hang it up, make sure to keep the feeder 6 feet off the floor and 6 feet away from the tree branch or pole that you have it hanging from.
It’s possible the squirrels will attempt to climb down the wire, but if you use something thin enough, they will have no way of climbing down because they will not be able to gain purchase with their tiny feet.
They rarely give up, so they will attempt to jump on the bird feeder. But 99 times out of 100, they’ll fall to the floor without disturbing your seeds whatsoever.
Again, you want the bird feeder 6 feet off the floor and 6 feet below the tree branch or pole that the bird feeder is hanging from.
Our Final Verdict: Seed Saver Domed Feeder
I think it’s truly astounding that you managed to read this entire review until the very end, and it makes me feel very happy that you found this info beneficial enough to read all away to the bottom.
I appreciate everything about you, which is why I give it my all whenever I review bird-related products on this blog. And I can say with full confidence that the Seed Saver Domed Feeder was awarded the Runner Up Blue Jay Feeder because it really is an amazing product.
The things I like best about it include:
- It has an attractive dome shaped design
- It’s incredibly easy to install
- It’s even easier to clean
- It’s made of durable UV stabilized polycarbonate and brass
- It’s easy to refill because the dome opens wide for easy access
Want to find out more about the other blue jay bird feeders that I reviewed?
Take a moment to read my full review overview of the 10 products that I recently tested and recommend by visiting here: Top 10 Review Of My All-Time Blue Jay Bird Feeder Favorites.
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