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The Fruit Feeder
The knowledge that birds eat from the fruit feeder will aid you in attracting wildlife to your backyard.The key to providing fruit is timing. Typically, when fruit is abundant in the natural world, the birds will choose it over fruit you offer at a fruit feeder. Therefore, mid-fall through winter is the best time to offer fruit. However, I offer apples and oranges year round with success. Which Birds Eat Fruit Eating Birds?Take a look at this list:
As you can see, this is an impressive list. Be aware, however, that some of these birds (like the waxwing) almost never visit the feeder, but rather, insist on natural fruit-bearing trees or bushes. Fruit Feeder StylesThe fruit feeder is constructed of plastic or wood. The plastic feeder is a simple design where an apple or orange is impaled on a skinny metal rod or post. These feeders cost under ten bucks and are quite effective at holding the fruit. However, there’s not much to them and so some birds will struggle to find a perch.The wooden feeder is sometimes designed as a hopper style feeder. These come equipped with a small cup inside the feeder. Usually, the birds access the fruit in the cup by slipping through one of two round holes on either side of the feeder. An alternative design of the wooden fruit feeder is a prison style. Rather than walls, the sides of made of dowels that give the feeder a jail-like appearance. This construction aids in keeping out bigger birds like starlings while permitting smaller and medium size birds access. What Fruit Should You Offer?Apples are the probably the most popular fruit among birds. Serve them fresh, chopped or dried. Even a whole apple can be of great benefit to birds. The large ones such as jays will pierce the skin. After he gets his fill, small birds like robins will move in for a bite.
Other fruits you can serve include cherries, figs, plums and oranges. And almost any fruit-bearing tree will draw birds regardless of the fruit produced.
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